Sweetest Taboo
by QueenTyZula
Summary: Fate must have a sense of humor. Two former enemies find themselves drawn to one another despite how wrong everyone, including themselves, believe it is. Is this love? Or a hilariously cruel dream? *Credits to deviantart artist-Rossweise* for the beautiful artwork that heavily inspired this story.
1. Search

Aang was up early as usual. The sun was just over the horizon when he rose from bed. Walking down the corridor towards two Kyoshi Warriors guarding the world's most dangerous war terrorist, he briefly thought of surprising the prisoner with a tray of the Fire-Nation's best meat-infested breakfast, yet one whiff from the hog-guineas being slaughtered in the Fire Temple's kitchen made him choke on bile. Instead, he found himself venturing up to the fully garbed warriors with nothing in hand, but his glider.

"Hi, Aang," greeted Ty Lee with obvious fakeness in her voice.

Giving his best smile, Aang bowed to the warrior and Sokka's girlfriend, Suki before impulsively staring at the ominous door that hid the surrendered fire princess on the other side.

"Azula's still asleep, I'm assuming," he commented off-handedly, looking down at the shorter women.

"Yep," chirped the princess's former ally and ex-girlfriend. "She'll probably be out soon. I could wake her".

Aang shook his head quickly as he was sure the seemingly sweet acrobat would undoubtedly attempt to wake the princess in very erotic ways.

"No, no! I guess I was thinking she would be up with the occasion and all," he answered, avoiding the woman's narrowed eyes.

Just as he was about to turn away, the gold hinges from the door gave a small squeal, making Aang's heart race against his will. Moments later, there she stood, dressed in a flowing, red bed-robe with gold trimming. Her dark hair was tied into a single braid, yet her make-up was applied perfectly even at this early morning hour.

"Princess, good morning, you look fabulous," gushed Ty Lee, provoking a hesitant smirk from the woman.

Suki gave a low grunt for her own greeting. It was obvious she would rather eat moth-wasps than guard Azula's bedchamber. After the princess surrendered herself to her brother, she was offered her old room for boarding until her fate was to be decided by the world leaders at the Four Nation's Summit set for that evening.

Aang had been called in to preside over the court consisting of King Kuei and Bumi for the Earth Kingdom, Hakoda, Sokka and "Gran Pakku" on behalf of both water tribes and Zuko and Iroh for the princess's home country.

"I take it you have news or _orders_ for me, Avatar? Or perhaps something else more… _personal?_ " The princess said, her voice oozing with seduction that made Aang blush beet red and Ty Lee's fingers curl into two strong fists.

He could not help moistening his lower lip with his tongue nor glancing at the woman's slightly exposed bosom, glistening against the bright, morning sun. Scratching the hairs on his cheek, Aang glanced uncomfortably at Ty Lee. It was a well-known fact that the two had passionate history that ended along with his own pre-adult infatuation and marriage to Katara in the mysterious forest of Forgetful Valley.

Despite their efforts to keep everything under wraps, Fire Lord Zuko had been given the news about their son, Zaheer. Azula's pregnancy had coaxed Katara into the arms of Aang's best friend, yet caused a rift between Azula and her brother as the two battled over custody to the avatar's youngest child, who would be next in line for the throne.

The avatar attempted to cool the flames by leaving the decision up to the summit with the wish that he preside over the court. The fire lord agreed as he did not want to see his sister behind bars or dead should the world leaders choose to find Azula guilty of world war crimes under her father's regime.

"I think we should take a walk," said the avatar, gripping his staff, tightly. "The summit is this evening and I think it would help calm our nerves".

Azula nodded. "Yes, I do need to relax. Do I need my babysitters?" She asked Ty Lee smugly.

The acrobat blinked several times as if fighting back tears. She opened her mouth, but no words came.

"I'm sure Katara could handle you should you…forget your place, Azula. She's done it before," Suki hissed with obvious disdain.

Lip curled, Azula grasped the tall man's bicep smoothly with a gleam in her eye. "Very well, be sure to send the peasant _our_ good morning wishes," she answered, leading the avatar away with a flip of her lengthy hair.

The two found themselves in the palace gardens. Azula had not bothered to change out of her bedrobe as she knew she would find the powerful avatar breathless and inside of her the moment they were alone. Aang felt no reservations as he had before Fate's interesting personality saw it fitting to force Azula to become the mother of his third son.

Due to demands from her father, Hakoda and the elder air acolytes seeking to begin the repopulation of airbenders, Katara and Aang had married before they were ready and welcomed three children in the world. For several years, it was pure bliss. Tenzin, Bumi and Kya were Aang's pride and joy, yet Zaheer stole his heart instantly after he, Azula and their reluctant midwife Katara welcomed the baby boy into the world.

As expected Azula had disappeared shortly after giving birth, but came back after a year, demanding her only son. Aang had missed her more than he ever imagined and agreed to her demands, striking fury in his wife who had struggled with believing their fantastical recall of life-saving sex after the princess attempted to drown herself in a spiritual pool due to a clash of unfortunate events in her life.

Now that Katara was gone, Aang felt truly whole with his youngest child's mother. He was liberated to be with Azula, yet the princess refused any form of a relationship and Aang accepted her rejection as he was sure the world leaders would question his position during her hearing. The two, however, found it difficult to resist one another when they were completely alone.

"I love you, Azula," Aang whispered passionately after their tryst beneath an aging shade tree in the garden. He could not help the proclamation. Azula had struck his heart and left a mark like the lightning scar on his spine. He knew better than to speak the words, but did so anyway as he felt in his whole heart that the princess had to feel the same.

This love he held for her made him want to sacrifice himself on her behalf should she be sentenced to death. He knew that he was in trouble for his feelings, big trouble. Yet, looking into golden eyes that seemed to sparkle when they coupled, it was worth it.

Azula's manicured index finger traced the outline of his tattoo slowly along his carved abdominals. Years had past since the war. Both she and the avatar had been involved and never fathomed seeking the other's warmth. Gazing at the beautiful specimen beneath her body, she licked her lips as she watched his chest rise along with his strong neck muscles.

The avatar was gorgeous, his smile was perfect coupled with a trimmed brown beard that she had suggested, his power was perfect and who better to control such power than she? The idea of owning such a being made her stomach flutter with excitement. He was liberated from her archenemy and free for the taking. So why not? What was holding her back from claiming him for her own? She deserved him, right? After everything she had gone through, she deserved a lavish life as the wife of a god.

Bending over she took the man's lower lip between her teeth and kissed him with a passion that set his heart on fire. Moaning simultaneously, he rubbed his callous palm over her cheek with a softness that she had little experience with, from a man that is. Most of the men in her life had treated her with rough hands, her uncle nearly twisting her arm out of her socket, her brother with his powerful blasts of fire against her shoulder and not to mention the countless marks left by Ozai…

Breathless, Azula pulled away whispering, "You love what I can do to you, Avatar. Don't confuse this," she then allowed their lips to meet again, completely contradicting her words as Aang felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest as their tongues danced passionately. Aang returned the kiss, hesitantly, before finally pulling away. The action brought a confused look from the princess that turned into an angry glare at his audacity. "KISS ME!" She demanded. "Am I not _good_ enough for you!"

Aang shook his head, sighing heavily. Azula responded with a strong shove that made him wince. "FINE!" She growled, pulling her robe closed and beginning to scramble when Aang stopped her with a grasp of her waist. "Would you like for me to put Zu Zu in an awkward mess so you can return to your waterbender? It's not like I haven't done such things before!"

Aang's eyes bulged. It was true that the former fire lord had spurred Azula's drowning attempt, yet Aang tried to keep the thought of someone raping the woman he loved from seeping back into his mind. Luckily, Zuko had blocked Ozai from making an appearance at his sister's court hearing at the avatar's strong urging. He was sure that he would break the only pledge he had managed to keep and kill the man with his bare hands for what he had done to his own daughter! Ozai agreed to send a written testimony in Azula's defense through his son instead of making a formal appearance.

"Azula, please, it's just-"

"What?" Hissed the princess. "Just what, Avatar?"

"That!" Aang found himself yelling. "You still call me _Avatar_ like we're enemies! Like Zaheer never happened! Like we didn't just...make love".

Azula bit her lip, looking away. "It's called _fucking._ There's no _love_ in it. We are adults with needs," she explained, though her tone was unconvincing. "You and that peasant made love. We fuck, _Avatar_ ".

Aang's member twitched in spite of himself. Azula's eyes dropped to his shaft, subconsciously before she looked away. Before she could react further, the avatar had shoved her somewhat roughly though still with loving hands towards the earth, pushing inside of her with his full length. Gasping, Azula bit her tongue to keep herself from screaming the powerful bender's name when he hit a particular place that had her shaking and barely able to stay on all fours. She fluttered around him, instantly moaning from his succulent lips against her neck and the small pull of her hair.

"Fuck me, Avatar," she groaned, eyes closed tightly, nails clawing up the earth that shook from Aang's powerful thrusts. "Agni!…yes!" She could not resist yelling out.

Wetness flooded around the avatar with the force of a waterbending master. His body felt possessed as he sped up his pace. Azula's cries spurred him a hardness that matched the temple's walls. He loved watching Azula's pale, lithe body move around him. The morning was bright and though anyone could walk in on the two including the fire lord and Katara, Aang banished the world from his mind as he continued giving hard, long thrusts, pulling out of the princess before sinking slowly back into hot ecstasy, making Azula choke back screams each time he did the motion.

The princess attempted to regain control by clenching him and trying to force them into a sitting position with her on top. Aang growled in her ear in a strange voice. She knew it well. His eyes glowed along with his tattoos. He was lost from the world, yet made her feel like the goddess she was born to be. Panting, she moved against the deity, azure flames leaving her lips as she felt them lifting from the ground. Her hair fell over his shoulder as she gazed towards the heavens. His power gave her fits. Moving her arm around his neck, she absorbed him whole surprised as tears flooded her eyes like her last agni khai.

 _What is wrong with me?_ She wondered as they fell back to the earth with a soft thud.

Aang's eyes still glowed and he moved instinctively atop her, spreading her legs wide with a grasp of her pale knees. Azula pulled his head down kissing his lips with a ranging passion.

 _"Zaheer," Azula said breathlessly as the father of her child used a small rag to wipe away her perspiration. "That will be his name. Do you not agree?"_

 _Aang gave her a brilliant smile despite his wife cleaning their newly birthed son only a few feet away. Azula felt her heart flutter as his brown eyes met hers._

 _"I love you," they spoke inaudibly._

 _Azula was stricken. She thought of a different set of brown eyes, yet she could not find the emotions she had once felt for her childhood friend. Instead, it was the avatar who had granted her life again. He had saved her despite her attempt to murder him in cold blood. She could not fathom such a thing._

 _"I will leave you two be," came Katara's voice, placing Zaheer in her arms._

 _Aang did not dare look away from his son and the child's mother. "He's beautiful, Azula. Perfect"._

 _Azula chuckled. "Of course, he is mine and…" Her voice trailed when their lips met._

 _That kiss was nothing like those they had shared in Forgetful Valley. There was something else... It took her breath away. Zaheer cooed, his eyes open and staring between them. Azula knew at that very moment what love was. She loved him the moment he appeared in this world. Never before had she felt so free as the moment she realized that she was free to love another human. Her father had taken everything from her, including the choice to feel…anything. Yet, now…with her son, the fire princess finally had something to live for._

 _"Thank you," she said to the man who had not given up on her when countless others had. Without him, she would have never known such a feeling._

The vision made Princess Azula gasp. She looked to the man now asleep against her naked breasts, realizing that her words earlier were completely wrong. Aang's eyes were closed and his breathing ragged. She wasn't sure when they had finished their last tryst, yet she was too full to think on the matter. The vision had spurred something inside of her, something that she had searched her whole life for. She had threatened her friends and begged her father for it for years only to find it in what she sought in someone wholly unexpected.

Using both hands, Azula held the avatar's head to her chest so tightly, she worried he would crush from her grasp. Closing her eyes, she spoke aloud in a hushed volume, fearful that someone was lurking in the shadows and may hear the weakness from the prodigal firebender's lips directly.

"I think I love you too, _Aang_ ".

 **This series was spurred from "Cold Burn". I have been on an Azulaang kick so I just had to go with it. Unsurprisingly, it is not a very popular ship, but I did manage to find some artwork and two year old Azulaang week prompts. Hit that review button if you like or even if you don't. Love to hear from you! Enjoy! QTZ**


	2. Family

**Felt I should add a warning. There is some Ozula though I attempted to tone it down, but just a warning! Thanks for the wonderful reviews!**

"Aang…" The avatar shook from his sweet sleep. Immediately, his hand found soft, disheveled black tresses splayed across his chest. "Aang…" The sound of his name sounded like a heavenly melody from the lips of his perfect princess. Princess Azula's soft breathing began to lull the avatar back to a blissful sleep.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Aang's eyes opened wide, the princess murmured their son's name, but did not stir even as the knocks grew louder. The avatar kissed her forehead before gently moving her form so that he could rise to answer the caller. He could not remember retreating from the palace garden into the woman's massive, crimson bed. Stretching, he smiled as Azula snuggled beneath the covers to regain the warmth she lost.

Finding his yellow trousers, the avatar slid them on without bothering to cover his upper body full of purple hickeys and red lipstick. Opening the door, he shook at the princess's ex-girlfriend's puffy eyes.

"T-Ty Lee, um…." He sputtered, unsure of what to say in the awkward situation.

Both sets of brown eyes looked to the naked, sleeping princess, sprawled beneath her crimson in a deep, calm sleep before turning back to meet one another. Ty Lee heaved and Aang began to reach out to comfort the gentle warrior before blue eyes flashed and a brown hand turned the girl around to meet a comforting shoulder.

"Katara," groaned Aang, rubbing his shaven head, "has the summit started?"

The master waterbender rubbed Ty Lee's back in a maternal manner. "No, but _our c_ hildren wished to see their father for breakfast".

Aang's eyes widened. "Of course!" He answered, readily. "Azula and I will-"

" _She's_ not invited!" Hissed his ex-wife. "Zuko felt it would be unwise for her to see Zaheer".

Anger rolled in the avatar's stomach. _Obviously, the fire lord has no problem seeing my children!_ He thought, furiously snatching his staff.

"Then, I will wait until _after_ the summit," he snarled, noticing the shock on Katara's face.

"Aang, you can't be serious".

"Yes, this is ridiculous! Azula hasn't seen Zaheer in over a year. What harm could it cause!" He growled in a hushed voice to avoid waking the princess. Katara's blue eyes narrowed towards the woman she truly hated before glaring back at the world's hero. Aang's eyes were ablaze for the woman who would have been his killer!

 _It was I who saved you!_ She thought, seething. _Would she do that? I sacrificed so much for…you!_ She wanted to growl back.

"Well, Mr. Avatar, your _other_ children will be waiting should you wish to see them…without that evil BITCH!"

A gust of air nearly slammed the door off its hinges, making Azula flail a burst of flame towards her lover. Aang doused the ball of flame with cold tea and a passive wave of his hand. He groaned against the door, making the startled princess rush to him in panic.

"Did something happen?" She asked, her voice straining as she took in the sight of the avatar's crumbling face.

Aang broke in her ams. His sobs increasing in volume until it filled the large room and seemed to pull Azula's soul. A surprising tear escaped her own eyelid.

 _Why am I crying?_ She asked herself.

More for herself than her lover, she clutched the grown, sobbing man's head to her bosom allowing his weight to pull them to the floor. She closed her eyes as strong arms wrapped about her waist, making more tears stream from her face uncontrollably.

"Azula-" choked the airbender.

"I'm here". Azula answered with a sniff. "Tell me, what happened? Is it the summit?"

Aang's tears wet her neck and shoulder as he shook his head, bringing the princess instant relief. Though she tried to ignore her feelings, she was fearful of her impending judgement at the hands of her former enemies. Ozai had been given judgement from Aang alone and was only relinquished from his bending. Unfortunately, the world saw his teenage daughter as a perfect substitute and she had little doubt that they would not be as honorable as the man crying against her chest.

"I…I am going to lose them," whispered Aang into her shoulder. "It is punishment. I-I made a terrible mistake. Spirits…my children…Katara".

Azula's eyes popped open at the name. In one swift move, she pulled the avatar's head away from her chest, holding him outstretched to see his face. His eyes were bloodshot and refused to make eye contact with hers. The princess was glad of this as he would not see how his words were affecting her.

"I…" she stuttered, biting her lip. _I thought you loved me? You said it and I…I believed…I had accepted…I trusted…_

Removing her hands, the princess rose, retreating quickly to grasp her canopy bed's post. She felt light-headed and sick to her stomach.

"My family…" The man continued, helpless from his position on his knees.

Azula squeezed the post as tight as she could manage with one hand and held her pulsing chest with the other. "But…what about Zaheer…and…" _And me?_ She wanted to say, yet could not speak the words.

"I have four children, Azula!" Barked Aang in his agony. "Yes, we have Zaheer, but my other three were all with Katara," he pointed out with a sniffle.

Azula felt her eyes cloud. She should have known better. She could not replace the good peasant. Katara had bared his children first. Azula did not fit the formula no matter her strange feelings. Love was never becoming for her…

 _"See ya' later, 'Zula!"_

 _Azula gave a low wave to her only two friends before realizing that they were not there. She stood outside of her palanquin with four servants kneeling on either side of the steps of the carriage. She passed them and ascended the steps of the fire temple. At the top of the steps stood the world's uniter in his elegant robes, despite his hair being uncharacteristically out of its topknot and absent of his notable pendant. His face was clouded and full of disdain as she neared him._

 _Immediately, Azula bowed, her forehead kissing the floor respectfully. "Father, I missed you," she said sweetly, as expected of a proper daughter from a royal lineage that spanned decades of greatness as she learned from the academy._

 _"Of course, My Prodigy, you have been gone too long. Welcome home"._

 _Azula's heart fluttered as she stood. She had come home empty-handed, yet the avatar was the least of her concerns during the invasion. The princess was hellbent on completing her task and protecting the man who loved her. She cut her eye at the pink sash left by her traitorous ex-lover when they rode the palanquin together in the late hours after her brilliant victory over the invaders._

Fool! _She thought on the traitor._

 _She offered Ty Lee the world, yet it was not enough. She had wanted to own the princess's heart with no clue that Azula was already owned. Sure they had great times together, yet family came first and Ty Lee did not fit the equation according to her father. He was the only one allowed to own her and thankfully, she remembered when the traitor committed high treason against her family name along with her brother and his idiot cunt. All in the name of love._

Selfish, Bitch!

 _Ordering away her servants, Azula sighed as she prepared for a much needed slumber. She knew the proper lie to give the fire lord for her failure at the Boiling Rock Prison, the air temple and even the earth kingdom._

We're burning it all to the ground, anyway. _She told herself, proudly._ Oh, Azula, you are brilliant.

 _She had almost collapsed in exhaustion inside of her indoor wash basin. Grasping a linen towel, she stepped from the shower and began to dry herself. Glancing in the mirror, she screamed at the sight of her mother staring at her nakedness._

 _"What…what do you want?" She asked the reflection, shakily._

 _"This war is not yours, Sweetie," said Ursa, softly._

 _Azula created a fist of fire. "I-I, no you're gone…" She responded._

 _"Azula," called Ursa, yet the princess turned away from the ghost and flung herself into an unexpected grasp of her shoulders._

 _"Azula!" Growled Ozai, his eyes livid. This was not the first time he had walked in on his daughter talking to herself. "You, paranoid child! Look at you! You are sick, Girl! You disgust me worse than your weak brother!"_

 _The fourteen-year-old trembled, whimpering as Ozai shook her violently, making her see circles when she looked up to face his disgusted eyes._

 _"A-Apologies, Father, I'm tired," she admitted, breathlessly._

 _"Tired? Really? Imagine how tired I am of your FAILURE! I gave you one task. ONE! And you not only failed, but you LIED to me about the AVATAR!"_

 _Azula's eyes widened and she felt the blood drain from her face._

 _"You knew! Do you take me for a FOOL? You're reminding me of your mother…again"._

 _"NO-" Azula tried to scream before seeing stars from a vicious slap across her face. She would have collapsed onto the floor if Ozai did not grasp her neck with a straining squeeze of his fingers._

 _"F-Father, I-I am not her," she choked out, grasping his forearm with both hands, attempting to capture air._

He is going to kill me. I have failed worse than Zuko! _"Please…" she begged before instinct took over and her hands glowed with a radiant, desperate blue, turning her father's forearm bright red forcing him to toss her like the ugly, earth kingdom doll from Ba Sing Se that she never wanted. Blood burst from her nose in spurts when her face met the tiled floor._ Agni! What have I done? _She screamed in her head._

 _She had little time to react or apologize for her actions before pure fear shook her bones. Her father's eyes were set on her form. Azula attempted to scramble away, but felt the cold of the wash basin against her back just before Ozai was at her throat again._

 _"You have lost your respect for your lord, Child!" He spat, clutching her until she croaked. She had never seen him this angry. Zuko's agni khai had at least left the boy scarred and banished, yet she was trapped and dying. Her father was going to kill her for sure for the embarrassment she bestowed on their family legacy._

 _"Father, I love you! I didn't mean to! I am your loyal servant," she pleaded, flailing her arms, helplessly. She thought briefly on raising her hand to him again._ No, he is all I have. _She told herself._

 _Finally, there was silence. Azula's head fell against the edge of the wash basin, her chest heaving as she grasped for precious life._

 _"Prove it," spoke the fire lord, much calmer than before._

 _Azula looked up to see him standing above her, loosening the laces of his trousers as he did so. "Show me your loyalty, My Prodigy. I have protected you from your traitorous family. They left, I stayed. Show me that you are grateful…that you are NOT like your mother". Azula bit her bottom lip, tasting blood from her nose._

 _Minutes passed slowly before her father finally shook in pleasure and finally loosened the painful grip he held on her hair. A satisfied moan left his lips before he threw the linen towel she had used earlier at his teary-eyed, bloodied daughter._

 _"You love what I can do to you, Child," he cooed, sweetly. "What I have done for you. Clean up your mess"._

 _With that he left Azula for thirty excruciating minutes. The princess stood on wobbly legs, unable to look at her reflection when she passed the mirror, fearing she would see the woman who betrayed her family first. She would NEVER be Ursa. The woman and her son were weak, but she was strong enough to restore her family's honor alone. Her destiny was to rule and carry on her family's legacy._

 _Her father was there to meet her and lead her to his chambers without the aid of speculating servants. He did not need them to witness his bare daughter flanking him as loyal as a trained platypus-bear. He owned every inch of her and always would. Of course, as with any teenager, she needed reminding of that fact at times and he was happy to oblige. She was his last hope. Zuko was a lost cause and he could not lose his last family left in his grasp._

 _"Are you crying, My Prodigy?" He asked, lovingly, helping her unto the crimson bed._

 _"No, Father," murmured the princess._

 _Without further words, Azula performed flawlessly for her father, holding back her tears and screams of embarrassing agony. Glancing at a small replica of their family picture on the nightstand, she shook from the fire lord's weight, but managed to stay upright while he panted harshly against her neck, obviously approving of her test of loyalty._

 _"I love you, Father," she reminded him. "Promise you will not leave me"._

 _Ozai howled against her spine, pausing to speak in hushed tones, "Hush, Child! This is called fucking! A father does not love his own daughter in that way, you, sick girl," he grunted. "This is to teach you a lesson about loyalty. It is needed when your family dominates the earth. Your mother was not fit for the task. But you…" His voice trailed as he began again, stopping after several moments to finish. "You were made to be on your knees, Girl! Owned by me and whomever I see fit for you to marry when I am done with you. There is no LOVE in it"._

 _Azula choked back a gasp, managing to groan. "Of course, Father, am I perfect…again?"_

 _"You were always perfect, My Prodigy," he moaned back, taking her lips in his. "Our family is perfect the way it is"._

#

Aang pushed inside of the beautiful woman with his entire length, attempting to forget about Katara and his children. He did love them all, but Azula held his heart in her powerful hands. He was in love with the princess and would find a way to keep her in his life along with his children. If Katara wished to be a part of it, wonderful, if not, so be it. His mind was made up.

"I love you, Azula," he moaned repeatedly as he kissed her collarbone softly.

The princess held him between her legs with her back against him, working his erection with slow rolls of her hips atop him. She felt nothing even as the avatar came harshly inside of her. She was a fool once again. She felt ashamed as she fell forward unto her crimson bed. The scent of raw, dirty sex would not leave her nostrils.

"We should ready ourselves for the summit," said the avatar, rolling away from her body to lie next to her.

"Go to your family, Avatar," said the princess in a tone that he had not heard in a while.

Confused, Aang reached for her face. "I do want to see them," he said.

Azula moved before he could touch her, throwing on her robe and tightening her sash around her waist as she rose from bed.

"Azula-" began Aang, sensing her distance. "Did I…do something wrong?"

Azula's jaw clenched. "Yes, you left your family for me. You are an idiot," she announced.

The words were like a vicious slap across his face. "But, you are my family. You and Zaheer".

Feeling her fingers spark, Azula could not attack the man lying on her bed as she had done so easily before. His beautiful face made her falter.

"Don't you understand anything, Idiot!" She snapped, enunciating each word as if twisting a knife. She was always good with words and she was determined to stick it to the avatar as plain as she could. "I am NOT your happy ending! I hate you! I will NEVER be your perfect little housewife! I am a weapon! I killed you before and I would do it again if given a chance! You are weak! You thought because we _fucked_ that I would change?" She gave a haughty laugh for good measuring, trying not to crumble at the hurt across Aang's face at her words. It only hurt more when she laughed. "We are not family…I am a mistake! Go back to your EX!"

"Azula, please!" Cried Aang, standing, he pulled up his yellow trousers as Azula charged her fingers, her eyes full of anger. "Don't do this, Azula. I know you don't mean this".

The door flew open, yet the princess dropped her hands unable to send her bolt to the man she foolishly loved. She could not kill the father of her beautiful son, her savior. He had made her _feel_ again, even if it was for a moment. She was lucky enough to have that. Katara's waterpouch trapped her wrists in burning ice along with her ankles. Azula closed her eyes, she did not want to face her life anymore.

"Katara! Wait!" Cried Aang, hurrying to his love.

"Don't!" Shouted Azula, stopping him in his tracks. "This was never real, Avatar. You have your family. Do what you do best and save them from…me".

Dark tresses covered her face as the princess was led from the room towards her judgement.


	3. Traveling

**This is a monster of an update. Future updates will probably not be as long, but I delve a lot into the plotline and just decided to go with it. I really appreciate the reviews, likes and follows. There are some excerpts from "Cold Burn" to help with, as one reviewer noted, the interesting premise of this story. I hope you enjoy! Queen Ty.**

Centuries of lords spanning further than man could recall held the throne of the powerful Fire Nation empire. Stories of great battles and bitter rivalries were commonplace in the history of a growing nation. Stories of lion-turtles granting power to humans and expecting balance were known world-wide. History is interesting, however. Fate is conniving and witty. The former fire princess knew this better than anyone.

It had been years since the former princess had traversed the halls of the fire lords. She always marveled at the meticulous attention to miniscule details in each painting that graced the corridor's wall. Each painter held a unique style that they incorporated into their paintings, telling the story of the subject with varying contour lines and fiery colors that one could only see with a skillful eye. The technique of painting is similar to breeding and cultivating plants. Some plants are made specifically for their beauty, to be marveled and sold to the highest bidder as a sign of wealth, power or love while others harnessed different properties such as the agent of death.

Ursa paused at the painting of Fire Lord Azulon. His was one of the more elaborate paintings in the corridor, reminding Ursa of the strong, powerful man that fell to the whiff of a deadly plant cultivated from her hands. The Mother of Faces had granted her peace of mind and eased her guilty conscience, yet Fate saw it fitting to remind her of her treacherous plot with her former husband. She had told herself that it was not solely her fault. She had created the poison, but ultimately Ozai used it, yet she blamed herself for her children, whom Ozai treated like that…vile.

She created them, but he used them…

Tightening her grip on her teacup, Ursa brought it to her lips, allowing the scent of chamomile to ease her tension and the liquid to warm her often cold body.

 _I should have used it against him!_ She told herself.

Laughter broke the air making Ursa cut her eye towards the throne room. Who would laugh at a time like this? Her middle child was awaiting judgement from people who had no idea who she was or what their family had gone through. She had yet to see Azula since arriving back in the temple and was reluctant to approach her with her original face. Zuko and Iroh had both stressed against doing so which truly hurt.

More laughter erupted from the temple. Ursa turned to see Zuko and his lovely girlfriend from the Southern Water Tribe approach along with her three children. Ursa smiled calmly at them before spotting the chubby boy wobbling ahead of his older brothers and sister. He looked strikingly different from the others. His hair was cropped and black as any Fire National, yet his eyes were large, deep brownish-green. She had not seen the child before and wondered if her son had already fathered another with the obviously very fertile water tribe girl before properly making her his wife.

"Mother," called Zuko, immediately wrapping his arms around the graceful woman.

Katara gave a strong hug of her own and a pleasant smile. "It is good to see you again, Noriko". Ursa chuckled as Katara's cheeks turned a deep red. "I mean, Madam Ursa! I am so sorry!"

The former princess laughed heartily before looking back at the toddler, now grasping her ankle. "Well, aren't you friendly?" She cooed, picking him up to get a better look at him.

The baby giggled, drool easing out of the corner of his mouth. Turning back to the young people before her, she stated, calmly. "Well, you two have been busy, I see".

This time, Zuko's face was almost as red as the corridor's walls. "No, no! He isn't mine. Well, not yet. He's Aang's and…"

Ursa bounced the baby on her hip, noticing the sudden pause instantly. "And? Yours, Sweetie?" She asked Zuko's girlfriend, confused.

Katara shook her head vigorously shuffling her children further down the hall to ready them for the nurses who would be watching them during the summit. Ursa shrugged her shoulders and continued cooing at the sweet boy in her arms. "Well, whoever this sweet thing belongs to is a lucky one! Your avatar friend is quite a catch". The older woman laughed aloud at her son's expression. "Oh, Zuko, I may be your mother, but I have been a woman longer, Dear," she added, playfully.

"He's your grandson, Mom".

Ursa smiled widely, before seeing her son's forlorn face and completely understanding his words. "You said he wasn't yours, yet…"

Her voice trailed and she held the baby outward to get a good look at his face. He was quite handsome, yet very… Fire Nation despite his brown eyes. "The avatar and…Azula's?" She finally asked.

The fire lord nodded solemnly.

#

Kiyi finally found her mother on the balcony overlooking the capital. She seemed content with being alone, yet her royal brother had tasked her with summoning her mother for her big sister's summit.

"Mom," called Kiyi from behind.

"Yes, Sweetie?" Asked Ursa, looking somewhat startled when she turned to face her youngest child.

"Um, Zuko said it's time," she announced, watching her mother's face fill with a silent anguish. "Was she really _that_ bad, Mom?" Asked the girl of a sister she had yet to formally meet.

Years ago when Azula and Zuko found themselves in Hira'a and were introduced as _historians_ , Kiyi had been drawn to her big brother. He turned out to be amazing despite being the fire lord and she rather enjoyed her life in the palace of luxury. Her sister had disappeared for most of the years they had been in the capital, and she had yet to see the woman again.

"She was my daughter, Kiyi. Like you," said Ursa calmly.

The preteen had no clue what to say to this. Thinking it was best to change subjects, she did so. "Well, guess what".

"Yes?"

"The avatar said that he would take me gliding!" She piped happily.

Ursa panicked. She feared often of losing her youngest child and rarely allowed her out of her sight. With Azula's summit beginning, she worried for all of her children. She had been a terrible mother to leave the temple. Fear had driven her away, always fear.

"Only if it is ok with you, ma'am". Kiyi beamed when she saw Aang emerge onto the balcony with a handsome, though guarded smile.

Ursa gave a meek smile to him. He was fully dressed in his ceremonial robes for the summit. The robes were quite fitting for his well-developed arms, making him look almost godly. She could see what Azula had probably seen in him. He was quite the man with a very commanding presence.

"Well, you were careful with her before, so, ok," she said, sweetly.

Aang gave a respectful bow before advancing to stand next to her and lean over the balcony. She took a moment to look him over. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"You know," she started, breaking the silence. "I could not have chosen a better father for my first grandson".

The comment made the avatar turn scarlet. Rubbing his neck, bashfully, he asked. "So, you have heard?"

"Of course, mothers know everything, Dear," she responded, confidently. "He has Iroh's features surprisingly as much as Azula hated her uncle," she added with a chuckle.

"She would be a wonderful mother," piped the young man, making Ursa cringe with guilt. "Wait…I mean…I didn't mean anything by that," he added when he noticed her discomfort.

Ursa shook her head. "It's not that, Aang. It's just that our family has seen so much pain. I-I don't want Zaheer to ever experience our…curse".

Aang nodded, understandingly. "You're my family also," he said, calmly. "I need your help, Ma'am. Azula…I think she is giving up. I can't seem to get through to her. I don't…I can't let anything happen to her".

Ursa was silent for several uncomfortable moments making Aang regret coming to her for help. No one seemed to see the woman he saw.

"You love her, don't you, Aang?"

"More than anything I've ever known," he said automatically.

Ursa felt a tear sting her cheek. Aang was a good man. He held a strong heart and she worried for him. Her daughter was lucky to have such a strong ally, yet she worried that her daughter would crush the man's soul. Azula never understood love. She was not like Zuko and the thought of that sweet baby with her disturbed daughter made her heart race.

"Azula, is…different. Guess I always knew she would follow Ozai. I just want to forget my…mistake with her".

Seconds after she spoke, the avatar's eyes flashed in sudden rage, making her take several steps back.

"She is the reason you're here!" He bellowed. "Why do all of you treat her like she means nothing? She means EVERYTHING to me!"

"I…" began Ursa, speechless. "She doesn't want me in her life," she spoke, fearfully.

"She NEEDS you!" choked back the avatar, gripping his staff, finally getting a grip on his explosive emotions. "Listen, you need to know some things about us and maybe you will understand. You and Zuko may have, but I won't give up on her".

#

 _"Avatar! Unless you wish for an early demise, you will leave!"_

 _"Yours?"_

 _"He's dying…"_

 _"I-I don't know how to save him. Is his father-"_

 _"No one of merit!"_

Ursa glared at the being behind the cage. Zaheer cooed in her arms as she stared at the terrible man who caused this. His ugliness and monstrosity on full display as he gazed at her with glinting, gold eyes. Kneeling down, she pushed the lit lantern in her other hand closer to the bars, noticing his eyes flicker at it before looking back to her.

"Come to lavish your treacherous tongue on me again?" He asked, with a shaky smirk.

He knew what she was capable of.

Former Fire Lord Ozai had not expected his ex-wife to return for a second visit. Obviously, she had more words for him. Or knew something…

"I had heard of only one child, a girl that you birthed for that peasant, Ikem," continued Ozai, observing the one-year-old with a snarl. "A boy, hmm, well I am sure he will be far superior than that weakling you created with me".

"How could you?" Ursa wanted to know, trying to keep her emotions under control. " _Azula_ was your daughter too! You said you would never hurt them. I wish that vile was used on _you_ instead of Azulon," she hissed, quietly. "You are a disgusting man".

Ozai laughed, haughtily. "Contradictory, hmm I'm sure you're just as disgusting for your new husband as you were for me. No? Well maybe next time you should bring him so we can reminisce on how I owned every inch of your pathetic flesh as well as your daughter's". Ozai shrugged passively. "Why do you suddenly care anyway? You left them".

Ursa's lips trembled. "She was pregnant, Ozai". The news made the former fire lord flinch for the first time, staring at the little boy in his ex-wife's arms with a new revelation.

"No, that…he…" Stuttered the man, pushing a weak hand through the bars. Ursa kept the distance between them. "Why would she? She should have rid herself of it!"

The fire lord was embarrassed. If others found out the true parentage of his daughter's child, he would be shunned. His faithful loyalists would turn from him. Ursa watched his face glower in waves of thoughts before she spoke again.

"The avatar told me everything Ozai and you should be grateful that he is not yours," she informed him.

"Then who? Azula was never a wayward woman like you!"

Ursa could not stop a tear from escaping her eyelid. "She was NOT a woman, Ozai! She was a child! And you did these things to her…used her. She will never look upon you again. His father won't allow it".

Ozai's eyes narrowed. "Who?" He asked again. _Who will I have killed for taking what is mine._

"The avatar".

A shuriken appeared between them before Ursa could think. Fate has quite the personality.

#

 _"I-I never expected this…from you," she finally gasped, pulling him closer until he was forced to move within clenching, velvet walls._

 _Unable to think as the princess hungrily moved beneath him, Aang pushed inside slowly increasing his movements as Azula's gasps of pleasure rang higher in his ear. The avatar felt his control slipping fast with her touch as the princess's legs moved higher up his back and her nails scrapped his shoulder blades. She buried her face in his neck when the avatar's movements increased in pace. Their breathing shortened in tandem._

 _"Don't…stop," she whispered, almost pleading and Aang was pushed on by her vulnerable tone. "Don't, please…you feel incredible. I-I can feel your power"._

 _The two former enemies cried out together as Aang lost control of his earthbending, causing the ground to shatter with the force of his hips, increasing into an all out pounding, making Azula tighten her grip on his shoulders with choking gasps. Shifting the princess's legs so her ankles met his shoulders, Aang clutched a swollen nipple with his teeth, making her grasp his head, screaming in his ear for him to take her more._

 _Next came his waterbending, sending the water from the lake encircled around them, drenching them with rolling waves between grinding hips. Their heads fell back simultaneously, fire exploding from their lips in blue and red shades._

 _"Ohhh…Spirits, Avatar!" Cried Azula as Aang took her in the air, their lips meeting as his eyes glowed white along with his tattoos. The princess was amazed as she felt him explode within her. The power seemed to breathe life instantly back throughout her weakened limbs down to the baby she had carried for several months without detection._

 _The avatar brought them back to the shattered ground slowly. Groaning as he fell atop the gasping firebender beneath him. The two laid together, attempting to catch their breath when thoughts of their transgression made them jolt awake and push away from the other instantly. Aang clutched his chest as he thought of his pledge to Monk Gyatso and…Katara…_

 _"No," he said breathlessly, desperate for air._

 _His eyes stared in horror as Azula hurriedly clothed herself. "No one needs to know about this, Avatar. Trust me, I am the perfect keeper of secrets". Pushing back wet strands of her hair from her soaked face, she added, "You saved my child. I am eternally grateful. But, I have…someone"._

 _Aang nodded. "I understand. Please…Katara can't-"_

 _"I know. And neither can Zuko…" She paused._

 _Aang thought on this. "Let me take him. I will have to tell Katara, but she will understand. She knows I love her"._

 _Azula raised an eyebrow. "You trust her? Are you really that much of an idiot?"_

 _Teeth clenched, Aang answered calmly. "I love her and yes, I trust her because…because trust lies at the core of love"._

Avatar Aang shook the memory from his head as two servants bestowed his neck with gold jewels of the nations and gave him his staff. The yellow ceremonial outfit was now much more fitting on his form, since he last wore it to Zuko's coronation. He looked himself over in the mirror as another servant trimmed his beard. He thought on the princess, whom he had not seen since she was taken from her room. The princess had been distraught when she left and said very hurtful things that Aang knew she could not possibly have meant. Her actions just did not fit her words. He could not afford to lose her.

"All rise for the honorable avatar," announced a fire sage.

Feeling a push against his back, Aang emerged from the throne room into the Fire Temple's court. His eyes instantly found Azula's upon entering. Garbed in a red, flowing gown and rubies dripping around her neck, he swallowed at the sight of her. Her hair was not in its usual topknot, but styled around her face in a manner that showed off its length and fullness.

He raised his head high as he ascended the judges' stand, chest jutting out under her gaze. He wondered what she was thinking. Even as he sat in the middle of the council bench, her eyes never left his.

 _I am here for you._ He tried to communicate through his gaze.

Azula felt weak upon seeing the presider enter the courtroom. Just hours before, they were together, unable to keep their hands off of the other and now he was her…judge? Of course she should have expected that he would have a role in such a worldly matter, yet it did nothing to ease the sting of betrayal on her heart.

 _Why didn't he tell me?_ She wondered.

The hearings rambled on about destruction and order following under the fire lord. The princess observed her judges, particularly the one in the fitted, yellow uniform, for their reactions to the charges against her. Numerous counts of manslaughter, pillage, torture, maiming were just to name a few.

She could not help the smirk on her face as they recounted her acts in her youth. She had to admit that she was pretty heartless in her prime. Soldiers were nothing, if not expendable and she commanded with an iron fist because she was not expected to. As a woman surrounded by men in the courts, she had to become cold and heartless, she had seen what happened to the weak like Ursa and Zuko. Most teenage girls were like Mai and Ty Lee, boy obsessed and worried about their looks and makeup. She had a nation to help hold together. Her father had placed great weight on her shoulders and all in the name of love, she committed the most heinous acts she could think of to please him. Many of which she could not remember.

Looking to her palms, she could envision the blood of so many staining them. How could she hold her son with these hands? The son that the avatar saved. She could vividly remember the day she had learned about her pregnancy. She was ashamed and unsure of what to do. Ozai was stripped of his bending and thrown in a cage. After Zuko's weak side came back full force, he ordered a "dignified tea party" between the two. Azula had been frightened and angry when she saw her father. She knew at that very moment that she could not give birth to the child.

Her escape into Forgetful Valley had given her the perfect opportunity to end it all and she almost did, she was holding her dying son in the spirit world when she saw him…her savior.

 _"D-Did someone do this to you two? You know, push you into the lake?" He asked._

 _Azula shook her head, taking her golden eyes off the child to meet his. "I did this after I saw_ her".

 _"Your mother?" Asked Aang, knowing the answer._

 _"I couldn't bear to see her. She-she left us with_ him," _sniffling, she held the child close. "She left me with her…_ responsibilities _as fire lady"._

 _The avatar wrapped his arms around Azula and her child. Surprisingly, Azula leaned into the embrace. Aang's heart leapt at the gesture as golden eyes flickered to his own._

 _"I never had a choice, did I, Avatar?" She asked, softly._

 _"Yes, of course, you did, Azula. You—you still do"._

 _A light chuckle rung in his ears, followed by a soft palm on his face. "My father did not think so"._

 _Horrified as he thought on her words, Aang felt an overwhelming urge to protect the firebender, yet she was fast disappearing along with the baby boy. Unsure of what else to do, Aang dove for the firebender's lips in a final kiss, sending them both back to the physical world, naked and panting, legs intertwined._

#

"Well?"

Azula shook the memory from her mind. People were standing now, LAUGHING! A crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces surrounded the princess. Her eyes locked with the only ones that seemed to matter, however.

"What happened?" Azula asked the bald judge in a hushed tone.

Aang held out his palm to help her stand as Zuko approached them with her lover's ex.

"Congratulations," said Katara, genuinely. "It is hard to believe that we were the same age that whole time".

Azula gave her a nod of thanks before strong arms nearly knocked the wind from her chest. She stiffened for a moment before bringing her arms up to wrap around her big brother with closed eyes before quickly pushing the fire lord away. To her surprise, the young ruler's eyes were bloodshot.

"Zu Zu!" She hissed in a low tone. "We're in public! How dare you make such a scene? It's unbecoming for a fire lord".

Zuko chuckled, using the back of his hand to wipe his face. "I don't care, Azula. I just want to put all of this behind us and start over".

The prodigal firebender agreed whole-heartedly. She was tired of living someone else's destiny for her. She just wanted to enjoy her freedom with her son and, hopefully, his father. The thought made her eyes narrow.

"Ok, so what now? Where's Zaheer?" She asked her brother, hastily. "Am I to be treated as a domesticated animal again or will I see my son?"

A warm arm across her shoulder made the woman shiver. She could not help leaning into Aang's chest. He made her feel safe and whole.

"I was telling your brother that my family could use a vacation from the Fire Nation. We're leaving tonight, Azula, after your celebration," he informed. "Just you, me and our son".

Azula felt as if she were floating, she wanted to kiss the man in front of everyone, but showed great restraint by instead giving her best, soft smile. Aang's eyes flashed, knowingly.

#

"Are you ok, Katara?" Asked the avatar, noticing his ex-wife against a corner wall during Azula's celebration.

Katara gave a small shrug. "I don't know. I mean, I do love Zuko, but we, well our children. I don't know how to explain this to them. Bumi is barely five, Kya and Tenzin definitely wouldn't understand right now. I guess, I can understand why you would want the princess. She is gorgeous and…" Her voice trailed as she gazed at the woman of the party, being showered with praise from high generals and other members of Zuko's court. Giving tidbits of advice to the fire lord as they made their rounds.

"I know how you feel for her and Zaheer, but I just don't want you to forget us," she admitted to her ex-husband.

Aang sighed, understandingly. It was difficult to keep up with all of his responsibilities, not only to the world, but to those he loved most as well. He looked to where Katara's gaze lingered. Azula's golden eyes fell on the two for a moment before she looked away and continued entertaining the highly esteemed nobles surrounding her and her brother.

She worked the crowd with her charisma and could charm her way in any situation, it seemed. Aang knew that the world would grow to love her as her nation adored her.

"She did not plan this, Katara. Neither did I," he told the woman next to him. "I will never forget what we had and I know Zuko will take good care of you. We were kids who had no idea what we were doing during or after the war. Our marriage may be over, but we have three children to show for it and I will never forget that".

Katara nodded. "Thank you, Aang," she said, wrapping her arms about his neck and taking the young father by surprise.

"Hey, watch it, I may get a bit jealous".

Aang chuckled as his good friend approached with a kimodo chicken on a stick. "So, if you're going to take on my sister, you will need to try one," he offered the air nomad.

Giving a look of disgust, Aang waved the food away. "Uh, yeah…I think I'll pass".

"Well, I definitely won't!" Squealed Katara, snatching the food with a kiss on the fire lord's cheek before hurrying away from the men.

"So, my mother told me about your plan," said the fire lord, smoothly.

Aang stood erect, surprised. "Uh, she did? Whoa, well, ok, so does that mean I have your blessing?"

"No," said Zuko. "Azula is still unstable. You've witnessed it yourself".

Before Aang could respond, two Imperial Firebenders approached their lord with heads bowed.

"Yes?" Asked Zuko, regally.

"It's your mother, Sir. There was word from the prison".

Aang tuned out the soldiers, watching the woman he loved receive the news from a different set of guards. Azula froze, eyes wide.

"Former princess Ursa was killed in a coup during her visit. We do not believe she was involved, but just in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Aang barely had time to process the movements as he swung his arm in time with the fire lord. The soldiers revealed their faces along with two large bursts of flames. Imposters! Zuko managed to wrestle one of them down as Aang opened the earth beneath their feet to trap the other attacker.

"Aang! It's fine! Go help my sister!"

The avatar's head jerked in Azula's direction. Azula ducked beneath a rage of flames from her attackers, sending two balls of azure fire towards them. Aang quickly lifted both arms as the imposters advanced towards the princess, causing both men to fall from the shifted earth. With quick movements he trapped the men in two mounds of stone and hurried to his princess's side.

"The revolution CANNOT be stopped!" Cried one of the false soldiers, yanking off his helmet. "The true fire lord-"

A lightning flashed the panicking room leaving the man charred and making his partner's eyes bulge to the steaming princess next to the avatar.

"Princess, please, mercy! Your mother's death was an accident. The baby-" Life vanished along with his words.

Aang turned in horror. Azula stomped away, making a clear path through scrambling and shocked guests towards the exit. The party-goers hurriedly allowed the princess to pass, her eyes low and dangerous.

"Stop her, Katara!" Cried Aang, fearing for the princess's mental state.

The waterbender was helping party goers who had been injured in the panicked stampede for the one exit. Katara looked around for Zuko, then found his little sister approaching her brother. Both siblings communicated with their golden, sorrowful eyes before disappearing together from the fire temple in the direction of Capital City Prison.

#

Ozai was pacing his cell when the fire lord appeared alone before him.

"Well, I was expecting your sister. Where is she?" He asked, smoothly.

Zuko glared at him. A pale tattooed hand stopped him before he could open the bars of the cage.

"You!" Growled Ozai, eyes livid towards the avatar.

Aang glared in the man's direction, yet managed to control himself. Looking to his friend, he spoke softly. "Zuko, please. Your mother had Zaheer with her. We know her…fate, but my son…Ozai will know. Besides enough blood has been shed today".

"Not his!" Growled Zuko, pulling away from his friend. "NOT HIS!"

Ozai laughed, gripping the bars. "Why don't you two just kiss and wish your problems away?" Looking past the men, in a nervous manner, he asked again. "Where is your sister?"

"Far away from you," assured Aang. He and Zuko had managed to convince Azula to wait outside of the prison with Katara in hopes that someone would attempt to leave with Zaheer.

"You don't know me, Boy," said Ozai, obvious disappointment in his voice. "You may have taken my bending, but if you were smarter, you would've taken my life. Then we wouldn't be in this…predicament, hmm, Zuko?"

Zuko flinched noticeably and Aang felt a wave of guilt in his spine.

"He knows I am right. I have never been one to spare the rod with my…children".

Aang's collar was jerked and he was suddenly face to face with a livid Zuko. "Wait! Zuko you don't-"

"Why didn't you just kill him like I told you to do? Now my mother-"

The singe of a shuriken flew towards both men's heads before lightning silenced the room. Aang jerked his head to see life leaving Ozai's body in a rapid pace. Breathing in short bursts from the torn hole in his chest, Ozai gripped the bars of his cage as he slumped over.

With a small chuckle he looked past the men at his attacker, the shuriken lodged in her stomach. "I could always count on you, My Prodigy," said the fire lord, his voice raspy. "I always owned you".

"Azula!" Cried both men, hurrying to the fallen princess.

Azula had eluded Katara and witnessed Ozai's attempt to turn the men against one another and cowardly assassinate them both while they were not watching him. Like an idiot, she had thrown herself in the line of fire, taking the full brunt of the knife while aiming a deadly bolt for the former fire lord. Her aim had been perfect. She watched her father take his last breath of air before his eyes dimmed forever.

Closing her own, she allowed the avatar to wrap his arms around her as Katara flew into the bloody scene.

"Quick! Katara can you do something?" Asked Zuko, pressing his hand to stop the excessive blood from leaving his sister's body.

He could not believe that she had sacrificed herself like that. Looking to Aang, his body tensed as the avatar clutched Azula's head to his chest, his tattoos flickering intermittently.

"It is going to be ok, Aang," assured his ex-wife, removing the water from her pouch and covering the wound.

"Is…he dead?" Azula managed to croak, wincing as Zuko and Katara cleaned up the gash and wrapped it with cloth from the fire lord's tunic.

"You were so stupid for that!" Aang choked. "Why did you pick now to be so stupid, Azula? I could have lost you!" Tears were streaming from his face as he spoke.

"Agreed," said Azula weakly. "I guess my luck has not ran out. I have never done something so stupid in my life. Perhaps Zu Zu should put me back in the nuthouse. You'd better make it worth it, Avatar".

#

Azula watched her parents' pyres burn with her brother, his new fiancée and the avatar at her side. Zaheer slept peacefully in her arms. Azula looked away from the scene, closing her eyes as she breathed in his small patch of sandy, black hair.

 _I always thought my mother, a coward._ She thought. _Yet, she saved you._

Ursa had managed to get Zaheer to a trusted guard after fighting off Ozai's loyalists. A non-bender, the woman surrendered herself to slaughter to give the guard enough time to leave the prison safely with her grandson. The story had shattered Azula along with the fire lord. Both had dealt with their mother's abandonment in various ways, yet felt the same sorrow as they faced the world without her.

 _I promise I will be the mother she would want me to be to you._ Promised Azula to her son. A kiss on the princess's forehead from the man she almost gave her own life for sealed the deal she made with their son in her heart unbeknownst to him.

"You all are welcomed to live with us," offered the fire lord, after the ceremony. "We could be one big family. Mother would want that".

Azula looked to her quiet, half-sister. The princess knew the look well. The child felt lost without her mother even though her father was by her side. Ursa's untimely demise would take years to recover from.

"Well, we have some traveling to do," announced Aang, his hand around Azula's hip, possessively. "I have business to take care of in Republic City and I want Azula with me".

Azula felt her heart tremble. She had almost forgotten that Aang was the world's avatar also. There were still "revolutions" like her father's loyalists in all of the nations. This would make danger commonplace in their life. Looking to her slumbering baby, she outstretched her arms towards her half-sister. Shocked the girl carefully took the boy.

"Take care of him for me until we return, ok?" She tasked the blossoming, young lady.

Kiyi's eyes gleamed happily. Azula knew she would make the perfect aunt. Turning to her dreamy avatar, she grasped his chivalrous elbow and was led away from the palace towards his massive bison.

"Remember Appa?" Asked Aang, helping her atop the bison's saddle carefully before blowing a gust of wind to position himself at the reigns.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Of course, his stink was in my clothing for weeks," she informed him.

The bison grunted and gave a small hop that sent Azula flying head first into Aang's back.

"Hmph! I hope he knows I'm NOT a vegetarian," she hissed, wrapping her arms around Aang's shoulders.

The avatar laughed and snapped the reigns. "Hey, Buddy, calm down! She's going to be around for a long time".

The statement brought a soft smile to the woman's face and she buried her head in her lover's neck as they lifted into the air.


	4. Silk

Azula never expected to sleep on bison fur, but she had to admit that it felt almost as wonderful as her crimson, silk sheets back in the palace. Night had fallen shortly after the couple flew into the earth kingdom. They had just crossed the massive ocean when Appa decided that he wanted to nap and refused to continue even as Azula threatened to set a nearby tree on fire to stir him.

"He's not afraid of you anymore, ya' know," pointed out Aang from his position atop Appa's shedding on the ground with his arms behind his head.

The pompous princess pouted. "I refuse to sleep on this disgusting earth! There are bugs everywhere! Have you forgotten that I am a princess?" She huffed, crossing her arms. "Aaahhh!" She screamed, flailing her arms wildly when Momo perched on her shoulder.

Laughter erupted from the avatar as he watched the pampered woman run in circles from his beloved pet. Azula pursed her lips as she hovered next to him, shooing his pet away.

"Oh, you find this funny, I see," she said with fake sternness in her voice and she masked a smile.

Aang gave false coughs to mask his own laughter. "No, not at all, Princess. I think it's…ahem…allergies?"

Azula chuckled before swinging a leg over his and straddling him. Her fingers traced the outline of his tattoo and collarbone softly. "Well, I must admit, I think I like this better," she spoke seductively. "I prefer a hard, strong body to silky animal fur".

"Yeah," agreed Aang. "And the stars are out," he added.

"No one's around," Azula noted.

"It is completely quiet," said Aang, licking his lips.

"Too quiet," agreed Azula.

The princess pounced like a polarbear-dog, making Aang moan as her nails nearly tore his flesh when she brought their lips together while desperately removing the laces in his trousers. Red lips found his neck and suckled, inciting a gust of air that shook a nearby tree.

"Remember the last time we did this outside?" Asked the princess, her breath teasing his ear. "It was incredible".

Aang was spurred on by her nibbles on his earlobe and eager hands pulling his member from his trousers. Somewhere between shredding articles of clothing and soft kisses, Aang found himself atop the hot princess, ready to sink inside of her satin folds when a firm hand against his chest halted him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, trying to keep the anxiousness out of his tone.

"I don't want to fuck tonight," said Azula, her face turning deadly serious.

Though he was slightly angered by the heated foreplay, Aang began to move when pale legs wrapped about his hips keeping him in place. "I want to make love, Aang," said the princess a hint of shyness in her tone. "I think I am ready for it now. I will admit that this would be my first time".

A soft smile appeared on the man's face, pecking her lips, he spoke back gently. "Then relax. Allow me to take care of you, Princess".

Azula's lips widened as Aang slowly trailed her body with soft kisses downward. He suckled each of her breasts until she writhed and begged for more, then made his way to her torso, making sure he did not miss any place on her body. Skipping her center, he licked from the top of her pelvis to her ankles before taking her feet in his palms and massaging them before suckling each of her pedicured toes.

Heartbeat quickening, Azula bit her lip as he worked his way back up, finally reaching a place that leaked for him. He gave a sheepish grin before diving, inciting a whining noise from the princess that she had never heard herself make. Grasping his head with both hands, she moved her pelvis to increase the pleasure.

"Own me!" She cried, staring towards the stars as she neared her peak. "Aang…oh…make me yours! I never…" Her voice trailed as she shook from his attention.

She had never imagined sex with Aang could get any better. Azula felt light and desperate. Little did Aang know the power she felt at that moment. Secretly, she wanted their lovemaking to last forever. Incensed, she immediately pushed him unto his back to return the favor. Aang shook from her erotic movements and her silver tongue lavishing him before swallowing him whole.

"Azula," he gasped, grasping her hair for some form of control.

Nearly bringing him to his ecstasy, Azula stopped and quickly mounted, grasping for broad shoulders as she worked her hips wildly. She pulled him to her breasts and unleashed her screams for the heavens. For once, she did not have to guard her actions, thoughts or feelings. She felt animalistic and flawless with the avatar pounding her with just the right amount of roughness. His power made her skin glow and made her release over and over above him. She felt free to trust his hands gently stroking her face, bringing their foreheads to meet before grasping her rear to keep her balanced as she fluttered once again around him.

"I love you, Aang," fell from her lips before she could catch the words.

The avatar gasped and jerked with spasms from the words, pumping his hips faster, he flipped them over to keep from releasing too soon. He did not want it end either. Azula mewled like a goddess with her legs locking around his waist.

"Look at me, Azula," cooed the airbender, waiting for the princess's eyes to open before saying, "I love you. I want you forever".

Azula kissed him, savoring his lips and tongue in classic dance. "Take me. Own me".

The words made him convulse, spilling inside of her as she moaned his name and stroked his back, clenching to milk him more. He breathed harshly against the princess's shoulder before collapsing unto her chest, barely able to catch his breath.

"Are you real, Aang?" Asked the woman of his dreams, suddenly.

"As real as our son, Princess. We're real and the whole world will know it too. You're mine, Azula".


	5. Hope

**Believe it or not I found more prompts for this pairing! So apologies for this short update, this is more of a drabble, but it works fine with the story so I left it instead of including it in the earth kingdom story for the next prompt. So Enjoy!**

Morning came quickly along with Aang awakening to breathtaking lips below his pelvis.

"You're fired up this morning," he joked between gasps.

Instead of responding, the princess pushed him to his peak, murmuring when he climaxed harshly. Reapplying her lipstick afterwards, Azula smirked seductively and walked towards their abandoned clothing.

"We have a long day ahead". She informed him. "Last time we were in the earth kingdom, I was trying to kill you remember?"

Aang smirked, watching her bend over to retrieve her red tunic and black pants. Quickly he was behind the princess, making her gasp when he moved against her.

"I thought I had handled that already?" She cooed before submitting onto her hands and knees.

"I'm the avatar, remember?" Asked Aang, confidently as he thrust inside. "Kind of like drilling the wall of Ba Sing Se, hmm?"

The princess's eyes rolled towards the back of her head. She never tired of being taken by the deity, yet she missed their son immensely. She had awakened with the sun as usual, yet thousands of emotions threatened to subdue her. She found sex liberating, particularly with the man she loved.

Even as Aang lavished pleasure on her body, she worried for their future. She was no Katara and every nation loved the world's savior. Azula had no clue what to expect when they reached the civilization in the earth kingdom. Would they reject the new couple? Would they think Aang a traitor for being with the evil, crazy princess? Was she foolish to believe that she, Princess Azula, Conqueror of Ba Sing Se and Killer of the Avatar, could find her destiny with him?


	6. Candle Light

Her hair was flawless. It felt heavenly to comb through, making Aang curse his calloused hands as he did so. Azula had collapsed after their third session atop his giant bison. Now they were both perched on the back of Appa as he was descending towards the great city of Omashu to discuss contracts in Republic City before visiting the city, itself.

Curled around him, the princess snored sweetly. Her face was completely peaceful atop his chest. He had never dreamed of seeing her in such a state when they first met in this very city for the first time. It had to be fate that drove them together these many years later to create their beautiful fairytale. Azula whimpered his name repeatedly in her blissful sleep as they came to a soft land. He found himself wishing that he could read her thoughts. If only his avatar powers extended to dreams. They would always be together in consciousness and unconsciousness.

Feeling euphoric, his heart pounded with love against his chest despite four of Omashu's earth kingdom soldiers appeared on either side of Appa. The men approached with caution, quickly taking note of the sleeping princess on the avatar's chest.

"We are here to escort you to the guest lodging, Master Aang," said one of the men. "We did not expect the fire princess joining you".

Raising an eyebrow, Aang placed a possessive hand on Azula's hip. "Well, consider it a surprise. I'm sure King Bumi won't mind".

The men bowed, leading Appa to a grazing pasture behind a small rental lodge. Momo immediately fetched wild berries from a nearby tree. Aang gazed over the woman lying against him, not wanting to wake her from her blissful sleep. She seemed to glisten in his arms.

 _Spirits, I really love her._ He thought before lathering her face with soft kisses until her eyes peered open. Groaning, she gave a yawn before attempting to re-enter her dream state.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Sweetie," cooed Aang in her ear.

Azula turned up her face to accept another kiss, afterwards leaning up to stretch. A puff of black smoke left her lips, she had not slept so wonderfully in a very long time.

"Where are we?" She asked, looking about, unable to immediately recognize the city.

Omashu had changed drastically in the past years. As a heavily industrial city, it had reaped the benefits of Zuko and Aang's joint project with King Kuei in Yu Dao. The city was now flourishing, its citizens walking proudly through the streets, tipping their hats in greeting or giving elegant curtsies to travelers.

"We're in Omashu. I need to meet with King Bumi about Republic City, so we may be here for the next few days".

"New Ozai," grumbled Azula with a passive shrug. "Brings back memories".

Avatar Aang gave a shaky laugh. Obviously now was not the best to reintroduce his good friend and his love. Grasping the woman's waist, he created a soft wind to place them on the ground. Azula coughed from the dust and aggressively swiped away the dust on her trousers.

"It smells horrible here!" She growled. "Where's my bag?"

Aang shook his head and blew their luggage off of Appa's saddle unto the ground.

"Well, I'm NOT going to carry it myself!" Snapped the princess, swatting away Momo and stomping towards their home for the next few days.

Momo looked to Aang who shrugged. Azula, obviously, awoke in a terrible mood. He made a mental note to wake her in a more…pleasurable way in the future. He grunted as he carried the bags that felt like bending a mountain in the cottage.

Inside the home, Azula stood in the middle of the living room, her arms folded. With a grunt, Aang set down their bags.

"Something wrong?" He asked, noting her grimace.

Without a word, Azula stepped lightly towards him, her eyes low and sexy. With slender fingers, she rubbed his slightly exposed chest, making the airbender grin and lick his lips. Glancing down at his forming erection, she moved her eyes up slowly, speaking in a soft, though commanding tone.

"You are the avatar, yes?" She asked.

"Your avatar," gasped Aang, slightly holding his head back under her soft touches along his neck.

"Yes _my_ avatar and _my_ avatar adores his princess, right?"

"Yes," moaned Aang, stiffening as she caressed his earlobe. "I _love_ my princess," he purred.

His breathing increased when she leaned in, her breath tickling his neck. "And you would do _anything_ for your princess, correct?"

Panting now, Aang nodded frantically, sweat breaking along his forehead. Was it getting hot in here?

"Anything," He managed to say. "Anything, Azula".

"Then you could start by getting me out of this rathole fit for peasants!" Aang jumped from the ear bleeding scream, his eyes popping open. "What in Agni's hell is this, Aang!" Cried Princess Azula lighting her hands. "The ground was better than this! You are the so called world's savior and this is how they treat you? With a lowly, disrespectful hovel?"

A couch was charred along with the curtains along a single window. Speechless, Aang observed Azula's rage in silence before seeing the tears form in her eyes. He knew there was more to the story behind her anger than the disappointing lodging. Hurrying to her, he wrapped strong arms around her shoulders and held her close as she sobbed unto his shoulder loudly.

"I don't deserve you," she whimpered, lightly sniffling. "Why didn't you just leave me? None of this would have happened if you had just left me".

The words were so earnest that it broke Aang's heart. He had been concerned about the princess during Ursa's funeral. Instead of being given the proper grieving time, the royals were immediately tasked with funeral preparations and concerns about national security from the fire sages.

He thought on how to soothe the woman he loved. Lifting her face to meet his, Aang spoke softly. "Hey, let's get out of here and do something exciting".

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Public lovemaking?" She offered.

Aang bit his lip. The idea was very nice, but he wanted to show Azula off to the world. Their relationship was blossoming and he wanted to make her feel like his queen in and out of the bedroom. "How about dinner at a nice restaurant?" He suggested, instead.

Azula shrugged. "Ok, but afterwards?"

The avatar smirked. "Yes, I'm all yours afterwards," he promised.

#

Azula took one look at Omashu's "finest" and turned to her handsome lover. "Can we go back to the hovel now?" She asked.

Aang chuckled, cutely and placed a hand at the bottom of her spine. "Give it a try, Gorgeous," he urged.

Azula pouted, determining not to enjoy herself as the avatar grasped the attentions of several admiring men and women as they were led towards a small booth and given menus.

"No vegetarian options?" He questioned the waitress.

The cute, earth kingdom girl made a show of showing off her ample bosom as she leaned over to check the menu as if she didn't know it verbatim. Azula felt a familiar burn of jealousy in her chest.

"Well, anything for you, Avatar," said the waitress with a bat of her eyelashes.

Aang blushed, glancing at his fuming partner ahead. "Uh, ok, just noodles, please or rice".

"Anything to drink with that, Honey?" Asked the waitress, leaning uncomfortably close to the avatar's face.

As he began to speak, a small candle at the edge of the table sparked a bright blue flame, catching the waitress's long, brown tresses.

"Water," ordered Azula with a calm smirk as the waitress screamed, batting at the flames.

Aang began to make a fist to blow a gust of air.

"Air makes flames stronger…" informed Azula in a sing song voice as she brought the menu up as if studying it.

The waitress sprinted away to douse her hair and was replaced by a handsome, male who smiled brightly at the fire princess.

"Mmm, nice facial hair," she cooed, leaning on her elbow towards him.

"Haru! What are you doing here?"

Before the waiter spoke, Azula asked a question of her own. "You two know each other?"

The men nodded.

"What would you recommend to drink, Haru?" She purred, making Aang clench his teeth. "Fire Whiskey? It gets me hot".

Haru flashed a handsome smile. "Well, Princess, no fire whiskey, here. How about some cactus juice?"

"No!" Shouted Aang.

"Sure," agreed Azula with finality. "And whatever your main dish is. Now run along before we become impatient".

Haru bowed, rushing off.

"Azula…" groaned Aang.

"Oh, relax, Avatar, it's just water from a dry plant. How bad could it be?" She asked, passively as her eyes sparkled from the azure candle.


	7. Return to Omashu

Lips collided with desperation and arousing anxiety for what they were doing in King Bumi's royal chambers, against a wall next to a slightly ajar door. The voices of arguing council members drowned out erotic gasps from the avatar and his gorgeous fire princess with her arms pinned by her sides by strong tattooed hands.

"Shh," reminded Aang to the young woman as they were only mere feet from the men and women gathered in the throne room.

Fully clothed, the avatar and the princess pressed against one another attempting to meld into one. Azula's lengthy nails clawed at the wall against her back. She moaned into her soon-to-be husband's mouth when he moved her wrists, placing her arms high above her head, locking them in place with one hand while moving the other over her left thigh. Moving a pale leg up and around the avatar's waist, Azula thought on the rumor that it "did not rain in Omashu" as Aang explored her inner thighs. She was sure she could supply the city's dry aqueducts for the next full year as she was completely drenched and coating the avatar's thick fingers with slickness before he could reach her center.

Choking back a scream when two of her fiancé's fingers met their mark and pushed up, curling in just the right manner to make her flood his hand more, the princess bit her red, painted lip. She moved her hips in a slow, erotic dance, grinding unto his eager, penetrating hand without taking her eyes away from his gorgeous face, envisioning his brown beard dripping with the very same fluid.

Aang gave a seductive smirk before removing his fingers and unlacing his yellow trousers.

"King Bumi, I understand that you and the avatar have been friends for a while," one of the council members spoke loudly. "But the avatar is obviously lax in his responsibilities".

Erect and free, Aang gripped his member, stroking himself to pulsing heights under Azula's starving gaze.

"I will trust Aang's decisions". That was Bumi's voice, slightly distorted by green rock candy. "He conquered the fire lord at twelve".

Sopping walls encased the avatar, making him hiss too loudly when Azula clenched immediately. The princess gave a smirk at the reaction she was able to provoke. To prevent more outbursts, Aang took the collar of his tunic into his teeth, struggling to keep his eyes open and on the golden ones staring back low and silently challenging him. He was not going to lose the challenge, knowing his girlfriend was thinking the same.

 _Fiancée._ Thought Aang, giving slow thrusts up, making his princess splash around him with a small whinny that reminded him of his pet lemur.

Azula's teeth threatened to tear her bottom lip with each thrust. She was not a quitter, however, and rose to the challenge, clenching around him with each push inside before pulsing uncontrollably as she released. Grinning confidently, Aang released his collar and mouthed, "Give up, yet?"

Azula writhed, her eyes staring into the intoxicating brown ones that stared back with nothing, but pure love as she struggled to pry her wrists free from his grasp before slamming her head against the stone wall in an open-mouthed, silent cry to the heavens.

"His choice to abandon his family was a poor decision. I wouldn't call that being responsible," came a woman's voice from the throne room.

Aang released his fiancée's wrists at the words and detached from the princess with a defeated expression. The princess was not finished, however, as she took his hand and pulled him towards a single window.

Climbing out, she beckoned for her fiancé to join her in a cabbage cart like the one they had ridden during their first encounter as enemies high above the city, then newly renamed City of New Ozai. Aang licked his lips at the display as she made a show of shedding her dress and undergarments, tossing them carelessly over the side of the cart to the eighty foot drop below, yet left her six inch, red heels on, dangling them over the sides of the death trap.

"And to take up with the Fire Nation's princess of all people!"

"Yes!" The two cried in tandem, when Aang sunk back into slick warmth, forcing the cart forward.

Using his bending, the avatar slowed the pace of the cart by adding gravel to the ramp to give it resistance. This allowed Azula to show off her recently acquired flexibility skills learned from her ex-girlfriend. Aiming her legs over Aang's broad shoulders, she clasped his neck with her ankles, heels tapping his strong back muscles when she shuddered from strategically slow, long thrusts against the spot that made her see the heavens in person.

"Make love to me, Aang," she begged in his ear before biting his earlobe.

Their hands met when Azula's found the top of the cart, that Aang was using to keep himself propped up, behind her head. Intertwining their fingers, Aang sped up his movements, pushed on by their exhilarating prowess and Azula's lost inhibitions as she gave high pitched shrills while they careened the ramp's curves under the shroud of night.

 _My_ _fiancee._ Thought Aang with a smile as Azula's eyes sparkled under the full moon above.

"Oh…Oh…Oh! Yes! That's it, Agni, I…I…love…I love…I love what you do to me!" Cried the princess suddenly making Aang release violently at the thought of her confessing the obvious, losing control of his earthbending.

The manipulated ramp returned to its former, slippery state. The sudden increase in speed did not seem to bother Azula as the princess slid beneath her fiancé and took his flagging erection into her mouth with hungry lips, closing her eyes as she coaxed more of the avatar's release that he did not realize was left, giving a moan when he instinctively moved his hips to push further down her throat.

"Spirits!" He gasped, attempting to decrease the speed of the cart with one hand, while keeping the other glued to black tresses moving beneath him.

Finally stopping the cart with a small boulder when they reached a tunnel near the ground, Aang fell forward in satisfaction, kissing a pale shoulder as arms snaked around his own.

Attempting to catch his breath, he asked the princess simply. "How did we get to this point?"

Though she knew he was referring to their last cabbage cart encounter as enemies, the princess answered simply, "Cactus juice," before taking her boyfriend's lips into hers in a deliciously sweet kiss.

 **This was originally created to be part of the cactus juice update, but I really liked this as a standalone, so next chapter will be Azula and the OMG cactus juice! How will the princess react? Hmm... we will see...Hope you enjoyed and thanks so much for the reviews, follows and favs!**


	8. Cactus Juice

**The cactus juice saga. Enjoy! I enjoyed writing this!**

* * *

 _My head's underwater, but I'm breathing fine. You're crazy and I'm out of my mind._ John Legend

Avatar Aang pulled the collar of his green earth kingdom tunic that Azula had suggested he wear for their first date. The tunic was somewhat suffocating as he enjoyed feeling the occasional breeze, but when the fire princess's eyes hungrily looked him up and down in his overly expensive Earth Kingdom attire, he decided the discomfort was worth it.

The princess was flawless as usual in an elaborate olive green dress that showed off her figure by amplifying her bosom and giving just enough exposure of leg to incite, but also leave the mind wondering. Fire Nationals were renowned for their expensive tastes, so it wasn't surprising that the princess glistened in gold from her earrings, necklace to brilliant bangles on both wrists. Instead of her usual pendant, she donned an emerald laced in gold hairpiece that matched the green tint that her eyes were taking in the dim restaurant with a single, blue flame from the candle she had sparked earlier.

Catching her lover staring across from her, Azula gave a smirk before speaking. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Aang nodded, leaning in with his elbows resting on the table. "I was just thinking about how nice a betrothal necklace would look on you right now," he said, smoothly, making Azula look away towards other patrons enjoying the romantic setting.

"We've discussed this," she said, sharply.

Not wanting to ruin the mood, Aang swallowed and changed subjects quickly. "It was really nice of you to give Zaheer to Kiyi for a while. I think it would be good for him to spend time with his siblings".

The look followed by silence on the princess's part made the avatar unsure if their first date could get any worse. Small talk was not Azula's forte and though he had some practice with his ex-wife, he lacked confidence in romance.

"I'm full of surprises, I guess," said the princess, glancing around the restaurant, she snapped towards Haru serving other patrons. The man had yet to bring their ordered drinks in the past 15 minutes. "I would hate to create a national crisis in this lowly establishment, but I am quite parched. Should I fetch my own wares? If so, expect an ugly scene!"

"Azula!" Hissed Aang in a hushed voice. He could not help smirking at the princess's pout and folded arms. She was the cutest.

"Be a good lover and fetch him for me," she commanded.

Eyebrow raised, Aang asked teasingly. "Lover, hmm?"

"Yes! Well, should I say something else?"

" _Boyfriend_ would be nice," he suggested.

Clicking her teeth with an eyeroll and poor ability to hide a small smirk, she responded. "Boyfriend sounds so…childish. We don't do _childish_ things, Lover".

Aang could not help his blushing smile. As he was about to stand and retrieve Haru to appease Azula, the waiter hurried over with a grin. In his hands were water and an open cactus replica cup with a pink straw.

"Finally," grunted Azula, snatching her drink admiring the presentation before beginning to bring it towards her lips.

"Wait!" Cried Aang, making Azula stop midway and glare at him.

"I'm a big girl, Aang," she pointed out.

"Yes, yes, but it's just Katara said…" he started hurriedly.

"Katara!" Growled the princess. "You mean to tell me that peasant has tried this and you expect it to be too, what did you say…strong for me? Have you forgotten who I am!" With that she threw the pink straw at their waiter's mustache before guzzling the drink. "Mmm…wow, this is, well, thirst quenching, I must say," she commented staring into the bottom of the replica for more before turning it up again. "More!" She commanded with a satisfied, _Ah!_

Aang and Haru stared at the woman, mouths agape as she seemed quite composed.

"Wow, what a woman you have here, Aang," commented Haru. "No one here is even bold enough to try-" He stopped when the princess slumped forward, pupils suddenly wide and staring at her lover. "Uh, have fun, Buddy!" He concluded with a chuckle and a friendly punch of Aang's shoulder. "Dinner's on me tonight!" He added before scurrying away.

Aang watched him go before turning back to his princess, suddenly atop the table.

"Mmm, that was so…REFRESHING…QUENCHY? Is that a word?" She exclaimed, eyes shining. "Avatar come stand on the world with me! We are the strongest couple in the entire…whatever this place is. We will dominate the EARTH!"

As she spoke, patrons cowered as their candles incinerated in blue hues that burst towards the ceiling. Aang immediately hopped unto the table to calm down the prodigal firebender before she burned down the entire restaurant.

"It's the FIRE PRINCESS!" Someone screamed, causing everyone to scream and rush towards the exit.

"Azula, maybe we should-"

Grasping his collar, the princess stunned the avatar with a dramatic open-mouth kiss, silencing him instantly. Aang moaned as her hand slipped below his tunic and ventured downward. It was only when he remembered where they were that he grasped her wrist.

"Rough tonight, hmm? Oooooh, you are such a manly MAN!" She drawled, flickering his lip before twirling twice causing the hem of her dress to catch on fire.

Quickly bending his water, Aang was able to put out the fire, yet not before the princess hopped from the table with a hearty laugh and skipped through the chaos of frightened guests.

"Oh, yes! Set fire to the rain!" She sung, grasping a frightened, pretty earth kingdom woman. "Wanna join me and my boyfriend tonight, Honey?" She cooed with a flick of her tongue and a wink.

The girl gave a nervous chuckle before getting her braid viciously pulled by manicured fingers, inciting a scream. "Hmm, you are such a tease, Ty Lee!" Drawled Azula before shoving the woman away and hopping onto the stage, shooing the performing Rough Riders away as she bellowed to her panicking audience.

"Leaves from a vine, falling so slow!"

Aang used gusts of air to fly across several tables, avoiding collisions with enumerated patrons, bold enough to try the infamous juice, swayed by Azula's surprising lovely voice. Hopping onto the stage, finally, he attempted to reach the performing princess when the band fell into tune with her, calming the chaos, somewhat.

"Uh, excuse me, I need to get over there," he said, pointing to his princess.

Finally breaking through the band, he missed grasping Azula's elbow as she hopped from the stage to the bar singing to the top of her lungs. "There's a fire starting in my heart!"

The crowd cheered as she danced in a mesmerizing way. Even the exhausted avatar gaped as she performed like a professional. The princess was obviously multi-talented which incredibly made him more attracted to her.

The wall of the restaurant was suddenly dismantled as at least ten uniformed soldiers marched in adding to the chaos. Aang caught sight of Haru being grasped by the forearm.

"Hey! I just work here!" He cried, wriggling the guards' restraints.

"ATTENTION! CACTUS JUICE CONSUMPTION IS ILLEGAL! THIS RESTAURANT IS BEING RAIDED!"

Aang panicked as their eyes caught sight of the dancing princess obviously highly affected by the illegal drink.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Earthgrubber," she cooed, sweetly when a guard seized her arm. "My boyfriend won't like it if you bound me," she announced, laughing as though it was the funniest joke in the world.

The avatar hurried to stop the madness.

"Is she with you, Avatar?" Asked the soldier.

"Yes and he is too," answered Aang, pointing to the restrained Haru.

The man released both parties. Azula fell dramatically into Aang's arms, running her fingers along his beard.

"Why are you so wonderful, _Boyfriend_?" She cooed before her eyes rolled backwards along with her head over his shoulder.

The words warmed him despite their current dilemma. "Thanks, um, we should go now," he said, reddening.

The soldiers grimaced, obviously not amused. "You haven't been in our city for a day and you're disrupting order. King Bumi will hear about this!"

Aang gave an uncomfortable smile as he led the princess out of the restaurant.

#

The airbender safely led his princess away from the burning restaurant and crazed crowd without further disturbance.

"Aang, stop!" She screamed, making the young man pale as he dared to look towards where she was pointing in wide-eye awe.

Appa slept just outside of the restaurant. Azula shook from his grasp on her waist and skipped lightly to the bison, eyes completely glazed. "Oh…AGNI!" She gasped, feet dancing in a childish manner. "It's…a…giant…GUMMY BEAR POPPY!"

Raising an eyebrow, the avatar let out an exasperated sigh, walking over to the enumerated, mouthwatering princess. "It's Appa, Azula".

The statement fell on deaf ears as Azula broke into an original song. "Oooh, it's a gummy-poppy! Uh, huh a gummy poppy! Oh what a yummy, yummy, funny, lucky gummy poppy. It's a jelly poppy-"

"Azula!"

A low snicker caught his attention as Azula fell to her hands and knees, attempting to snort Appa's fur, alarming Aang at her accurate though unsuccessful attempt. Darting his eyes left, he spotted a regal, very traditional looking fire nation woman emerging from the shadows with a little girl, no older than five at her gliding heels.

"I would never have believed this unless I saw it myself. I heard rumors, but obviously you're bringing out the best in her. I should have gone after you, myself," joked Mai, gliding towards the avatar and the princess in a forest green gown.

Aang rubbed his neck and wrapped a protective arm around his princess at which she slumped into the crook of his neck. "Mmm…you smell soooo good, Aangy," she purred, making Mai uncontrollably laugh aloud as the avatar's face reddened.

"Uh, hi," he stuttered. "Yeah, it's been a while I guess".

"Tell me about it," grumbled the woman, looking down at the child, terrorizing Momo now. "Izumi! Stop that!" She hissed.

The little girl pouted as Momo escaped her death grip on his floppy ears. Aang regarded the child, who reminded him very much of his love. Obviously, her father was very fire nation like the knife-wielder and the princess. Aang was not surprised as most fire nationals were stoically against race mixing and given Mai's noble status, it was to be expected that she would take up with a fellow countryman.

"Oh, stop being dramatic," he scolded the lemur who had flown to sit atop his shoulder. "She just wanted to play". The stubborn animal refused to take chances, however.

"I see she still dabbles in poppies. You can thank Ty Lee. They were high as kites on the day of black sun. Well, until your fabled demise blew hers, of course. Remember, Azula?" She asked with a light chuckle.

Glass eyed, Azula beamed. "Mother!" She screamed, suddenly, nearly tackling the stoic woman. Looking to Aang, Mai mouthed, "Help?" Before petting her back in a motherly fashion.

Aang was attempting to pry the woman away when Haru approached the party.

"How goes it, Princess?" He inquired, still wearing his dumb, mustached smirk.

Unamused at the light-hearted, half-joke, Aang glared at the man, livid. "You think this is funny? What the fuck is wrong with you?" He hissed. "Azula could have been arrested!"

Surprised by the air nomad's diction. Haru gave wide eyes.

"Woah! Calm down, Aang. I was providing good customer service. It's my job".

Mai attempted to pull away from the princess's stronghold as she spoke. "Just a word of advice. Never treat Azula like a NORMAL…anything. Customer. Human. She's…ugh…not normal".

Aang finally pulled his love away, narrowing his eyes at the woman. "Mmm, hi, _Daddy_ ," purred Azula, obviously not confusing Aang with Ozai from her tone. "Aangy, have I been bad?"

* * *

 **Just adding: Gummy bear song referenced: my kindergarten side is showing some. Adele's Set Fire to the Rain and Rolling in the Deep along were also referenced. No ownership of songs or ATLA.**


	9. Royal

_I think about the day I got wrapped around your finger. I think about us._

 _"Azula"._

 _"Mother? Mother, why?"_

 _"I love you, Azula"._

Light pecks on the nose and forehead stirred Princess Azula awake from a dream that she could barely remember, though Ursa's voice seemed incredibly real. Her eyes fluttered open to meet a sparkling of brownish-green ones smiling back at her.

"Morning, Mommy," came a horrible imitation of baby talk that definitely would not arise from the sweet baby boy before her.

The perfect, precious child blew a perfect spit bubble that burst onto his mother's face.

"Oops! Sorry," came the terrible baby voice again.

Azula gave a light chuckle, wiping her face with her forearm. "Let me guess, your papa taught you that?" She asked the baby.

"No," squeaked, "the baby," his tiny feet dancing on Azula's naked belly with the help of two tattooed hands grasping his sides to hold him upright.

Azula smirked at the arrowed head peering over the top of her son's mess of dark hair. Taking her son into her own hands, the princess feared she would smother him with her tight, loving hug. Zaheer purred in her neck, happily, leaving a trail of drool on it when she outstretched her arms to behold his face again.

"My prince," she whispered, softly. "My sweet, baby prince. I've missed you so". She could not help saying as she brought him to her chest for a second time.

Reaching for the child's father with her lengthy nails, she stroked his beard, beckoning him to join them. Taking the hint, the avatar leaned in to take the woman's lips in his, savoring a sweet kiss that shook his entire body. The funeral was set for tomorrow and Azula had chosen to stay in her room for the day. Though Aang enjoyed his time with his other children, he worried for his love and immediately took leave to join her in her bedroom. He also had some thrilling news to share with her.

Settling behind the princess, against the headboard, the two quietly lulled Zaheer to sleep with him cradled to Azula protectively and tattooed forearms, around the princess holding both his child and his child's mother. Aang kissed the woman's neck as she hummed a familiar song that he'd heard General Iroh sing the words to several times. The kisses turned to longing suckles as he felt unwanted heat form from watching the woman he adored cooing over their child. Azula moaned in response, turning to meet his lips.

"I can't thank you enough for our son," she whispered, breathless when they released.

The two watched Zaheer attempt to fight impending sleep, widening his eyes intermittently as they closed uncontrollably.

"Our prince," said Aang, softly. "He will be Prince Zaheer when we return from the earth kingdom. Zuko believes to be his birthright as first heir to your family's lineage".

Azula gasped. "Well, that seems appropriate," she said, attempting to keep the surprise out of her voice. "He is the son of the world's king".

Aang blushed. Saving the world from Ozai's reign of terror had definitely earned him a place in the world's history books, but he felt truly royal only when the princess looked at him with such admiration and love. He knew that she had no idea of how her facial expressions gave way to feelings and he would never reveal it to her.

"Prince Zaheer," said Azula, kissing the snoring baby's cheek.

She rose to lay the baby in a golden crib adjacent to her bed. After a soft stroke of his hair, she pulled the crimson blanket over his shoulders. Who would have thought that she would birth the kingdom's heir to the throne? Prince Zaheer, son of Princess Azula and Avatar Aang, it was so…unplanned, yet simply, brilliant. Royally beautiful.

#

Mai stared passively at the odd sight before her beneath long bangs. Izumi sat next to her in a similar, classy fashion as she had coached the child numerous times to do at home. Location was no excuse as her daughter was still a product of elite Fire Nationals and Mai was determined to instill in Izumi the customs and ways of noblewomen of her homeland should they ever return. Which, due to running into Azula and her avatar, she knew would be inevitable.

Omashu was the first of the former conquered Fire Nation strongholds to allow the enemy within its walls once again after the war. King Bumi was a hands-off ruler, who allowed his citizens the freedom to enjoy their lives and hard-earned wealth without the fear of taxes or uniformed protectors of the law. Though his citizens were happier than in most cities around the earth kingdom, his council was not as forthcoming and sought to undermine the aging ruler in any way possible.

Knowledge of the political atmosphere made the knife-wielder expect the messenger hawk that flew into the small teashop and perch atop the booth's chair behind Aang and his snoring girlfriend, whose head was slumped against his shoulder.

Izumi clapped happily, sitting between Haru and Mai across from the couple, as the messenger hawk was sent away when Aang retrieved the rolled letter from its back. Mai watched over the rim of her steaming tea mug as the avatar scanned the letter, losing the color in his already pale face. Before she could, Haru asked, "Problem, Aang?"

Avatar Aang sighed, burning the letter slowly before sending the ashes out of an adjacent, open window. Kissing the princess's sweat drenched forehead, he spoke softly while gazing at her with eyes that Mai could only impossibly fathom as the purest, complicated love.

"She's gone through enough," said the avatar. "Why is everything she does blown out of this world? It was a mistake, geez!"

"She did burn down an entire restaurant," pointed out Haru, signaling for a refill of his tea from a nearby waiter.

Aang pursed his lips. "She wouldn't have done that without the cactus juice that YOU gave her," he hissed at which Haru shrugged, attempting to reach across Izumi to wrap his arm around Mai.

The woman cut her eye with a deadly glare in his direction, making the earthbender cough and pretend to stretch instead. Aang raised an eyebrow at the two.

"So, are you two an item?" He asked, passively stroking the princess's hand.

"Yes".

"No".

"Maybe".

"Never".

"One day".

Mai rolled her eyes, swatting at Izumi's elbows on the table. The girl removed them, giving a pout.

"We sleep together," she finally revealed, glancing at the child who had found interest in the candle setting displayed in the middle of the table.

Haru gave a smirk. "A lot," he mouthed towards Aang, who chuckled, shaking his head.

"I'm sure you two have some feelings for each other, right?"

Mai huffed. "He's sufficient. Izumi approves".

"Ha! I'm twenty times better than her angsty pops," announced Haru with a haughty laugh, immediately silencing at a look sharper than his bed mate's hidden knives, shot in his direction.

"And who might that be?"

Mai narrowed her eyes at the waking princess, stretching as she removed her head from the avatar and sat upright. After several blinks, the princess locked eyes with her former friend, obviously sobered from the cactus juice.

"No one of merit," responded Mai with finality.

"You refuse your princess answers?" Asked Azula smoothly, noting Mai's eyes watching as her hand slipped between her lover's fingers, intertwining passively on the table.

"Are you sure you are still a princess? Last time I saw you, you thought you were a spirit. _Crazy_ much?"

The comment sparked the reaction she knew she would get when Azula's lip curled. Surprisingly, Aang's fingers tightened around hers instantly calmed the woman. The knife wielder was shocked. She assumed fucking the avatar had to be quite the experience, but obviously her old friend was very…different. There had to be more to this _relationship._ Could her old friend truly be in love? Was that even possible?

#

 _"Oh, Mai, Ty Lee needs help untangling her_ _braid"._

 _"Sounds pretty serious"._

 _Mai found her other friend with her head stuck in a lady's fashion pamphlet, sprawled in her nakedness across Azula's bed. Braid intact of course which did not surprise Mai. She and Zuko had a universal pact. "Azula always lies" written on their foreheads dating back to their shared childhoods, before love, betrayal and heartbreak set them on opposite courses with their secret love child to remind the knife-wielder of what once was._

 _"I hope you don't plan on being in here when Fire Lord Ozai comes by. Zuko and Azula have their training in an hour". Warned Mai, choosing to stand against a wall with her arms crossed._

 _Ty Lee giggled. "I won't get caught, trust me. Azula and I have done this plenty of times. What are you doing here anyway?"_

 _"Babysitting," snapped Mai._

 _Ty Lee gave her a pout. "Azula said a soldier told her about Prince Zuko going to visit their uncle in prison. Do you think he is a traitor, Mai?"_

 _Mai rolled her eyes. She was growing quite irritated with the princess's paranoia. The incredible feat of killing Avatar Aang had done nothing to appease the woman, if anything it made her more emotional and erratic. It was only when she was high off of poppies that the younger girl actually seemed to relax and was actually fun to be around. Poor thing. Mai held some pity for her. Between her and her brother, she was unsure which would drop dead from a heart attack first._

 _"No. Prince Zuko loves his country. He would never betray it," she announced, signaling the end of the conversation with a wave of her hand._

 _Ty Lee shrugged. "Whatever, anyway, so I kinda told Azula how I felt about her today"._

 _Instantly curious, Mai prompted her to continue. "And her response?"_

 _Ty Lee beamed. "Well, I was going to ask you since you are so good at figuring out her hidden meanings and all. She said that I'm more fun with my mouth closed"._

 _Mai wanted to give herself a facepalm. Her poor friend was too dumb to even take bold-face rejection. Azula was never loyal to anyone, but Ozai. Her friend was chasing a lost cause._

 _"So?" Asked Ty Lee with hopeful, doe-like eyes._

 _"Obviously, she is just saying she is madly in love with you"._

 _Mai wanted to scream when Ty Lee flipped from the bed, sprinting clear across the room to scoop her friend in a bear hug, unabashed by her nudity._

 _Idiot._ _Thought Mai._

"So you two look pretty serious," said the knife wielder.

"We are," piped Aang with a bright smile.

"Who's her father?" Asked Azula, now rudely pointing to Izumi. Mai was unsure of whether to be upset by her rudeness or surprised that she did not object to Aang's affirmation of their relationship.

"In love?" She asked, ignoring the question.

Aang looked nervously at the princess, obviously losing her patience.

"Fine, Mai, I'll play your little game". She said, at which Mai smiled genuinely.

"We always tied at Pai Sho, remember _Friend_?"

Azula waved her hand. "I absolutely _hate_ him. Our fucking is _terrible_ and we created the most _hideous_ child known to man".

Fortunately, Izumi had dozed off on the noblewoman's arm or the noblewoman would have been livid at Azula's crude language. Instead, she returned the smirk on Azula's lips with one of her own. Aang gave Haru a serious look.

"Hey Ladies, how about we take this home, you know, since the place is closing anyway. It's pretty late," Haru announced.

Both women agreed and left the teashop thankfully free of burn or knife marks. The avatar and princess followed Mai and Haru to a small home that was more welcoming than the pathetic hovel that they had first slept in when they arrived in Omashu.

"You are welcomed to stay as long as you wish. But please remember that there are children here and no one is going to change your sheets in the morning like you're so used to, Your Royal Highness," said Mai, rolling her eyes as she took Izumi to her bedroom.

Aang led Azula by the waist to their room for the night. "Come on, we need to talk about something".

Sensing the seriousness in his voice, the princess gave him her full attention as she sat on the bed and he closed the door behind him. Sitting on the bed Azula straddled him, removing his shirt and pushing his chest back so into a reclined position. Placing his hands behind his head, Aang explained the contents of the letter from the council.

"So…let me get this straight, they want to kick us out of this slum of a city like peasants, for what? That stuff was illegal anyway!" Hissed the princess.

Aang rubbed his chin. Azula adjusted her position, leaning on his side and kissed his cheek. His mind found it difficult to concentrate when her hand moved down his abdominals and disappeared beneath his trousers.

"I'm going to speak to the council," he managed to say. "I'm sure Bumi will listen even if they don't".

Azula flickered her tongue along his earlobe, her hand absently stroking him to hardness. "We've been here too long anyway. After running into Mai, I'm ready to board your smelly bison, asap". Aang moaned as her lips met his chest and kissed her way down. Her fleshy tongue made him jerk in response to her licking his erect nipple. "I say they can kiss your tattooed ass along with the commission to Republic City's infrastructure project".

"Azula…" Groaned Aang, closing his eyes when she placed hot, painted lips on his member before opening them and moving downward in one full, slow intake.

Mmm?" groaned the princess, sending shockwaves through the avatar's body when she gazed at him with molten, longing eyes.

"Don't stop," begged Aang, banishing the council's foolishness from his mind, instead moving his hips in a circular motion.

Azula obeyed, gripping his muscular thighs with her nails, nearly breaking skin, to keep him in place. Aang clenched his teeth to avoid filling the room with loud gasps. Azula worked him into a mad, silent fit, eyes challenging him on each pass.

Coming up for air, Azula smirked, deviously. "Feeling better?"

Aang shuddered from the loss of warmth. "Tease," he hissed playfully.

Azula responded by hurrying to mount him when his hands stopped her in a powerful grip on her hips.

"Our fucking is _terrible_ remember?" He reminded her of her very words.

Azula's eyes narrowed. "Of course you did not take that little comment to heart," she said with a shrug. "I was merely playing a game with my old friend".

"Mmhmm," Aang remarked, placing Azula on the bed next to him.

Baffled, the princess began to stutter uncharacteristically as he stood. "W-Wait…why…where are you going at this time of night?" She demanded to know.

The avatar shrugged. "Just going to take a stroll. I do have the meeting in the morning and since you despise sex with me, perhaps we should sleep apart".

"This had better be a joke! You can't just leave me! I-I am your princess!" She growled. Swallowing a chuckle, Aang wiped the smirk from his face with his hand while his back was turned to the squealing princess. "Get back in this bed, NOW!"

"Hmm…" He said simply, adjusting his trousers.

"Aang!"

"On one condition," said the avatar turning to the face the scowling princess.

"Yes?" She asked, one eyebrow arched.

Instead of speaking, the avatar placed a red betrothal necklace with a black ribbon on the nightstand. Azula's eyes widened.

"I…I can't. I'm not…"

"You are _my_ princess?" Azula nodded. "Well I intend to make you my queen," finished Aang with a smirk.

Before she could speak, they were incased in a ball of air with Aang's bending. Azula blushed from the loud gasp she gave when the avatar aligned himself instantly.

"Don't worry," assured her love, "No one but I can hear you, My Queen".

The princess shivered as his breath tickled her neck. Her body felt light, though she was able to push the avatar onto his back once again. "You love this position, huh?" He noted with a smirk.

Instead of a verbal response, Azula watched her boyfriend give silent cries below her. She felt more powerful than the man she was riding with ease. She gripped his shoulders as she worked him in varying patterns. They were finding a rhythm when Mai briefly crossed her thoughts during the pleasure.

 _Mai is a fool to think she can hide a princess._ She thought, hissing as Aang came up to suckle her breast. Pushing him back onto his back, she rode him faster, making his eyes roll to the back of his head in bliss. _Then, again, Zaheer would be next in line for the throne. Maybe it is for the best._

Azula yelped when Aang suddenly overpowered her, flipping them over, taking her calves in his hands. He pushed inside so deeply that she forgot the world instantly when she was filled completely on each thrust. Wrapping her arms about his muscular neck, she whined like a child into it, clenching desperately from the increased pleasure as his tattoos began to glow and his lips found hers. the power was so intense, and overwhelmingly intoxicating. Who needed cactus juice when she was free to make love to the world's godly king? Azula kissed the deity with all of her being, basking in the love radiating around her.

 _"Great day for a trip, huh, Azula?"_

 _"Be careful how you put my luggage on that shaggy beast of yours". Azula responded, passively. Ignoring Ty Lee's "mean" comment._

 _She had caught herself staring at the avatar. My how he'd grown in a year's time. She was never one for ballness, but the stubble on his chin was cute._

 _After the mothwasps and Ursa's hidden identity, the princess and the avatar spoke alone for the first time_ _when he joined her around the campfire for his turn in the nightly "watchdog" rounds. Her other babysitters chose to keep a safe distance during their rounds. Even Zuko was notably distant. Aang had been the only one to actually sit next to her in the woods._

 _"Actually, no," answered Aang, relighting the small campfire. "I was just cold"._

 _"I could have done that," announced Azula, haughtily._

 _"Yeah, so why didn't you?"_

 _"You did,"_

 _"I saw you were cold"._

 _"I'm not helpless"._

 _"Not at all"._

 _"People think that I am. I see the way they all stare and whisper. But I have the letter. I am sure Zuko told you. I have a destiny"._

 _"Destiny is a funny thing"._

Azula was shocked awake, unsure if she had heard Aang's words correctly. "W-What did you say?" She asked, regally.

Aang's hips moved in a slower pace. "I want to make you mine forever," he said, breathlessly, kissing her neck with one leg hoisted over his shoulder. Azula shook at his deep thrusts, so close to her peak, she felt the rush of pleasure, barely hearing Aang whisper in her ear. "Will you-"

"YES!" She cried out, not caring what was said. She was there, basking in uncontrollable ripples from her lover as he pulsed inside her. He was close also.

Regaining control, she flipped them once again, making Aang lose control of their air bubble as she rode him like a wild eel-hound until he unleashed. The two panted as they came down from their high, legs intertwined and kisses exchanged.

"Yes, marry me, Azula. I am serious," said her boyfriend.

 _Marriage?_ She had always despised the idea of marriage. Her father described it as an alliance. She was to be married off to probably some Northern Water Tribe boy for the sake of overthrowing the kingdom. Yet, when Aang said the words, her stomach flipped. She really wanted this. But how could she when the world hated her? She would ruin the avatar.

"You must have had some cactus juice yourself," she said lightly in his ear, immediately closing her eyes so that she could not see the hurt on his face.

#

A different child's fingers against her arm jarred Azula back to the present, Izumi retracted her hand with a shy smile. "You're really pretty," said the little girl, softly. "Like Mommy".

Azula smiled back at the small child from where she sat on Mai's loveseat in her small, Earth Kingdom home. The child's mother was preparing tea while her "bed mate" rekindled the dying flame in the hearth with more wood.

"A little help, please, Princess?" Asked Haru, stepping away from the rearranged logs.

Azula nodded, outstretching her hand. Instead of her signature flame, a puff of black smoke flickered, making her blush. "Ahem, excuse me," she apologized. "Guess, I'm a bit rusty". Standing, she took her signature bending stance and shot two fingers towards the hearth. A larger…puff of black smoke emerged.

"What?" Azula gasped, looking to her hands as if they were foreign.

"Sex-ahem-bed mating with the avatar seems to have weakened you, Princess," said Mai with a chuckle, handing the woman a mug of steamed tea. "Izumi, why don't you try?"

The child beamed, happily, scrambling to her feet. Azula watched the child take a stance with horrible posture, making her lip curl. "Your arms are too far apart," she commented, bitterness in her tone. "You'll set the house on fire. Two fingers for precision and grace. Fists are erratic and amateurish".

Izumi nodded, using two fingers, she sent a brilliant, golden flame to spark the logs.

"Perfect," approved Azula, making the girl blush, happily. "A true prodigy, perhaps. It runs in the family". Noticing Mai's smug smile, she added. "Shame on your mother choosing to keep you from your true destiny. Oh well, she reminds me of someone".

Mai scowled, taking a seat in a reclining chair next to the loveseat. Sensing the impending catfight, Haru used his earthbending to slide Izumi into his arms. "Hey let's go chase Momo," he offered at which the little girl agreed, leaving the old friends.

 _Did he take my bending somehow?_ Azula wondered, ignoring Mai's glare. _He weakened me!_ She told herself in disbelief.

"Obviously, you have some things on your mind, Princess. I'm all ears like in the good old days".

The women sipped their tea, simultaneously. Azula decided to deal with Aang and her lost abilities when he returned from his meeting with King Bozo.

"Proditor," she hissed in the old language of their nation. "Puer, quod debes".

"Speak plain," spoke Mai, though she understood every word. "I am not a traitor and I owe my child a regular life. A safe life. Look at what happened to you, _Your Highness_ ".

Azula's jaw twitched and Mai nearly choked, feeling some guilt.

"You're enjoying this," commented Azula.

"Not at all," said Mai. "I did enjoy seeing you on cactus juice. Thought you were done with intoxicates".

"I have no idea of your meaning".

"Plenus stercoris es," spewed Mai. "That man is too good for you," she added, truthfully.

"Optime," answered Azula, with perfect enunciation.

"Exaudi me, qui pater est, filius?"

Mai's eyes narrowed. "Can't you tell? Can't you see the family resemblance?"

Azula's fingers smoked angrily. "You've been hiding her all this time? A royal descendant!"

"She's better off, Azula. Obviously being a princess is not all it's cracked up to be".

Azula breathed, harshly. "Zuko is _not_ Ozai," she managed to say softly. "I'm done with this. My son will be fire lord with your daughter hidden away. He will be a ruler to rival the gods".

"An oppressor," grumbled Mai.

"What?" Growled Azula back.

"Your family of oppressors. Zaheer will join their ranks. Taking freedom at a whim. At least Izumi will never be the face of a nation of destruction!"

Azula's teeth clenched, fists balled. If only she had her bending, Mai would be smoldering within seconds. She chose to use her words, rising from the love seat, "Izumi could be a face of change, but you're afraid. The Mai I knew would _never_ allow fear to stop her".

"You're one to talk!" Yelled Mai after her back as the princess left the house.

In the backyard, Izumi played cheerfully with Haru, reminding Azula of her baby prince waiting on her to return home. If Aang had actually taken her bending, how could she protect their son? Surely there were others who resented their family's history of oppression as Mai put it. The knife-wielder had spoken with such disdain, despite being a descendant of nobles always in allegiance to the throne.

 _M-Maybe I could change the face of our legacy?_ She thought. _That was Father's legacy anyway, but the world loves this…hope…maybe there is some…hope.._

She thought on her words to Aang before he left. He had proposed to her and in her passion, she had agreed, only to retract it later. Yet, she had really _wanted_ it. Her body burned with anger and love for that beautiful, powerful man. The world's king. Deciding against waiting any longer, Azula took off for the palace, bidding Haru and Izumi goodbye.

#

Aang chomped down on green rock candy as the royal council spoke on the progression of Republic City. He wished Zuko had chosen to take on this boring affair. He was the better listener anyway and Aang could only think of his girlfriend's rejection of his proposal. What more did he have to prove to her that he was on her side?

"Omashu's citizen's will greatly benefit from commission to work in Republic City". Announced a lanky, gray-haired council member.

Aang nodded about to speak when the doors flew open, revealing the fire nation's princess in a brilliant, short black dress that made him lick his lips before noticing the shining, red pendant with black ribbon wrapped about her neck that matched her six-inch heels.

 _The betrothal necklace!_ He thought. The necklace had been forged in the Fire Nation before the couple left. He had only hoped to one day see the princess in it and the sight made his eyes water.

"Princess Azula! You are not welcomed in Omashu!" Shouted a different council member, signaling a swarm of soldiers to gather in the room.

"Stop!" Commanded Aang. "She is my fiancée. If she is not welcomed, neither am I and you can kiss your commission out the door!"

The council of four men and one woman were stunned as Aang flew to the princess, grasping her waist and locking their lips in front of them. King Bumi broke the silence with a shrill laugh. "Congratulations, Aang!" He exclaimed. "I always knew part of you loved the bad girls," he cackled before chomping another candy.

Aang blushed as Azula moaned in response to the kiss. They detached and the avatar rubbed his nose, feeling dizzy.

"On behalf of the avatar, you all are pardoned for our poor accommodations in this despicable city. King Bumi, you obviously understand the position of your nation best, yet your council has done nothing to improve the lives of your people. They constantly override your judgement and outwardly disrespect the avatar? Perhaps, you need a moment to mull it over and remind them of their _place_ ". With that she led the avatar away by the arm speaking in a lowered tone. "We need to talk".

#

Azula led the man into Bumi's bedroom. Aang could not keep his eyes off her beauty.

"I cannot bend. Can you explain this?" Asked the princess, coolly propped against a wall.

Aang shook his head before thinking of Zuko. "Zuko lost his bending after-"

Azula's eyes flickered, dangerously. "After what?"

"After he joined us. He found his…destiny".

Aang cringed, thinking Azula would strike him out of anger. When she did not, Aang approached with caution. Reading her thoughts, he added, "Your destiny is to be my wife, Azula. I can help you regain your bending, but you have to trust me. I promise to always honor you. I will treat nothing less than a…queen".

The princess bit her lip. Her destiny. She thought on her story, the pain, the hurt, the betrayal. She had been abused, manipulated and used over and over until she had lost all feelings. Until now.

"Aang, I'm not…I'm". She was speechless.

"You're Princess Azula. The mother of our prince and the love of my life," said Aang, taking the betrothal necklace in his fingers.

Their lips met. Azula felt her knees buckle. Love, unbidden love. She was indeed Princess Azula and she had conquered the avatar in a way she had never imagined. The feeling was absolutely, royally beautiful.


	10. Flowers

"Once more!" Shouted Princess Azula to the child breathing harshly through her nostrils, hands grasping her knees for desperate support against her dizzying mind. "You've barely created a flicker, MORE!" Growled the Fire Nation woman hovering above. "Did you hear me? Why are you _wasting_ my time?" Asked the princess, leaning low with her hands on her hips.

Mai's bastard child with the fire lord, raised her head slowly to meet her aunt's eyes. Azula noted how the family resemblance was indisputably strong in the five-year-old.

 _Our nation would love you._ Thought Azula.

"Don't you dare give me that look!" She growled instead. "A proper princess-"

"Azula!"

Both sets of golden, royal eyes met former governor Ukano's normally quiet, sighing child.

"Are you interrupting royalty?"

"That's enough," warned Mai, using a shuriken to clean her nails.

Azula rolled her eyes at the gesture. Her bending was still at a loss to her bafflement, yet she chose to believe that her godly, husband-to-be was being honest about fixing the matter as soon as they departed the god-forsaken city of Omashu tomorrow morning.

"Oh, for crying out loud, if I had known YOU would be babysitting both of us, I would have opted out of spending the day with my niece".

Mai waved Azula away, making the princess grumble in response before retreating to a stone couch surrounding the noblewoman's small, quaint garden of Fire Nation flowers in the backyard. With her arms crossed about her breasts, Azula stared at a particular flower that seemed to call her attention. A fire lily was starting to sprout, reminding the princess of her mother's fondness for the priceless plant.

The fire lily was one of the rarest flowers in the fire nation as Ursa often mentioned. It was a sign of rekindled love which reminded Azula of her last trip to Omashu, in which she absently gave the flowers to another…old friend.

"Izumi, go wash yourself. We are going to see your other aunt today". Commented Mai, her eyes still lingering on the daydreaming princess.

When the girl was out of earshot, Mai added, "I'm sure you have ravished the avatar enough these past few days, so we're going to the circus".

 _Circus._ Thought Azula, shaking her head.

"No, thanks, Aang seems to like our nights in the bedroom just fine".

Mai choked a smirk. She was still unaccustomed to hearing the princess refer to her fiancé by his name. It sounded strangely foreign. Though she had to admit that the Crowned Princess looked almost foreign with the red betrothal necklace around her neck and the constant glow emitting from her pale skin.

 _Maybe Ty Lee was on to something about auras and such._ She wondered. _Maybe this isn't the best idea._

In truth, she could care less about Azula and Aang's _sexcapades_ , but her friends needed closure, particularly Ty Lee. She figured with both girls in the city, they could reunite on better terms and all work towards a loving friendship based on trust and kindness, a concept Mai once thought foreign to her old friend until they met again after a year.

"Not only had Azula recovered from her mental collapse, and scored the avatar. She became stronger than ever and managed to form real human friendships with her Kemurikage, ex-nuthouse cohort. Mai had been struck curious about this "New Azula" ever since.

"Well, he was the one who told me to break the news. Bumi needs his help repairing the aqueduct system before the city starts rioting from the ridiculous water restrictions. He's not sure how late he would be out and he…sends his love".

Mai did not miss the sparkle in Azula's eye at the last statement, though the princess immediately returned to her pouting.

"Fine. Will your bed mate be joining us also?" She asked.

Mai shrugged. "Nah, I gave him a one-way ticket back to his father's home. I guess it is time for Izumi to meet her father".

There was silence between the old friends, both looking for a reaction in the other.

"He was fine with this?" Azula spoke first. "You're just dumping him like nothing happened and returning to the Fire Nation?"

"Who's going to stop me?" Asked Mai, eliciting a smirk that Azula returned. "I'm not known for my loyalty".

"Touche," agreed Azula, standing from the place by the garden. "You are making a wise choice. Izumi has royal blood, she deserves to be treated as such".

With that, Azula plucked the single lily from the gardens. Analyzing the flower between lengthy nails, she added. "Delicate, royal descendants pale in comparison to royal children with a deity's blood, however".

Narrowing her eyes, Mai caught the condescending statement readily. "Your son will not suffer from Izumi's presence. The fire lord will ensure that".

"Hmm…" was all that Azula revealed of her further thoughts.

The knife-wielder clenched her teeth. Just days before, the princess had been livid about her decision to keep Izumi's identity hidden from her royal brother, only to revert to her usual paranoia in a matter of seconds. Mai briefly contemplated cancelling her trip to the circus. Azula obviously had not changed as much as she had given the princess credit for. Though her only best friend deserved closure, the mother did not want to risk further dismantling Ty Lee's fragile heart.

The princess knew the effect she held over their mutual old friend. What she would do with such power was yet to be known, though it had been tested at a place known for its inescapable walls in the heart of a boiling lake, shocking Mai beyond her most "unflappable" mind.

 _"I guess you don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated," said Mai, enunciating each word in a grand though dumb show of love._

 _When she thought back on the matter now, she found pride in not saving the future fire lord, but finally retaliating for that…flaming…apple…_

 _Azula's anger and obvious embarrassment was just what she had hoped to provoke. So much for flapping her unflappable friend. Her next words were meant to sting. She, Zuko and Ty Lee knew Azula's thirst for fear and control well._

 _"I love Zuko, more than I fear you"._

Bitch… _She almost added._

 _The reaction was priceless and expected, though Ty Lee's interference immediately overshadowed the impending showdown._

 _First jab to Azula's wrist, twisted the princess's face along with her body. Second jab felled Azula's face literally and figuratively. Mai could have sworn she heard a heart breaking when her nation's princess collapsed on the hard metal. Agni must have stopped time at the very moment or Agni's Hell must have frozen over._

Fuck… _Thought Mai, unable to move even when Ty Lee pulled her arm fearfully. Mai glimpsed the princess finally speaking as she was pulled to her feet. Here was the true test. She was quick to lay the consequences on the knife-wielder, but now her very own loyal pet had betrayed her not with words, but physically._

 _"Put them somewhere I'll never have to see their faces again," growled Azula in her paralysis. "And let them rot!"_

 _They were taken away from the princess's presence, but not far away from earshot to hear Azula's heart breaking declaration._

 _"You were never mine!"_

 _Mai cringed feeling guilt rising in her stomach. Her friend had yet to recover from her own shocking actions. She could not remember Ty lee ever being silent. Their handcuffs clang as they walked._

 _"You two were lucky" grumbled a nameless guard, directing them to their cell for the night._

 _"You should be dead by now"._

 _It was then that the acrobat sniffled. "We always were," she heard the girl whimper. "We were dead a long time ago, Princess"._

#

"I'm sorry about you and Haru," a male voice pulled Mai back to reality.

Mai blinked twice before her eyes met the shirtless avatar standing before her. Azula was nowhere in sight, making the knife-wielder somewhat envious of her friend's uncharacteristic trust in the beautiful man. Surely Azula would not let Aang roam around without a leash looking like…this?

The newly single mother bit her bottom lip, attempting to shake away lustful thoughts before answering with a careless shrug. "Eh, I'm not the clingy type".

Aang smiled softly.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Izumi, Azula and I were about to leave for the circus".

Scratching the side of his trimmed beard, Aang nodded. "Yeah, I know. I postponed to go with you guys," he said, not meeting her gaze.

Mai chuckled, lightly. "You should ask your soon-to-be wife for lessons. You're a terrible liar. Don't worry, Azula can't set the place on fire this time". She said.

The avatar was now looking to his feet, his face beet red. "Well…that's not it, exactly," he confessed.

"Well?" Urged Mai. "What is it?"

Aang took a deep breath. "It's nothing really. Well, do you think Azula wants me, ya' know, for me? She can be a little…difficult… indecisive sometimes".

 _Wow._ Mai thought. She had never known Azula to be indecisive except when it came to…

"You're worried about her ex, aren't you?" Asked the knife-wielder, knowingly. "That she will leave you for her?"

A slow nod was her response. _Cute._ Thought Mai, wondering on her shaky credentials if she was qualified enough to give love advice. She thought on an appropriate answer for several moments.

"You have to trust what you two have. Whatever lunatic being that brought you two together has to be insane enough to keep it this way".

Aang scratched his naked head. "I don't get it? Should I just pretend like I'm ok with it? Like I'm not bothered by it?" He inquired further.

Sighing Mai pointed to her home where Azula was probably preparing for the evening.

"That girl is not the Azula I've known all my horrible childhood. I actually _like_ her and I don't doubt that it was just as much you as it was Ty that brought her to this point. You being you is what got her so pretending is not the answer. You don't have to sell your soul to protect Azula believe me. Ty Lee knows this better than anyone".

#

Azula combed through her hair using her hostess's bone comb in front of Mai's fancy, golden vanity.

 _"You always had such beautiful hair"._

"Lies," grumbled the princess, grasping a gold pin between her lips to tie her hair into a high ponytail.

After the task was complete, she swiped with her two trigger fingers into a bowl of concealer, applying it to a scar just beneath her nose from Ozai, making it vanish within seconds.

 _"You're the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world!"_

"All. Worthless. Lies!" She hissed, her lower lip trembling.

Ursa lied. Ty Lee lied. She was a monster and they knew it! At least Mai was strong enough to tell her to her face!

"It's over," Azula mumbled, looking away from the mirror. _That is behind me. I have better now. I have my son and his fath-my hus-_

"Knock, Knock".

Azula turned in time to greet her handsome fiancé returning the smile, despite how low she felt.

"Come in," she said, standing.

Aang seemed to float into the room, filling the room with his presence.

"What are you doing back? Are the aqueducts repaired?"

Aang shrugged, bashfully. "Could use a break. I missed you".

Azula's gaze lowered below the avatar's waist instinctively. "I just washed. Are you looking to make me sweat again?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

Aang licked his lips, closing the space between the two. "I can bend water, remember? I'll gladly keep you from sweating _much_ ".

Without another word, Aang wrapped his arms about the princess's waist and hoisted her towards the ceiling. The two made it to the kitchenette before Azula took the avatar's earlobe between her teeth and found herself atop the marble island in the middle of the room. Anxiously, she spread for the powerful man, her red dress rolled to the top of her hips. Positioning her new pair of black, six-inch heels on the edge of the island's surface, Azula dug her palms into the marble and threw back her head when Aang's heated lips met her sweet mark.

#

Hearing the couple's terrible attempts at discretion, Mai shook her head. Luckily, Izumi was waiting in a eel-hound drawn carriage for her mother. The noblewoman stepped into the vehicle and adjusted her daughter's hairpiece.

"Where's Aunt Azula?" Asked the child, bright-eyed.

"I doubt your aunt and uncle will be joining us tonight," answered Mai.

The girl gave a pout, surprisingly. _Naturally MY child would be drawn to someone like the princess._ Thought the noblewoman, shaking her head and waving her hand for the escort to leave.


	11. Anniversary

**WARNING: PURE SMUT.**

 **Challenge dedicated to my writing buddies Pen and KD. Blame them for their dirty minds, but I was more than happy to oblige! Enjoy!**

 _"THE AVATAR! My lucky day"_

AANGZULA ANNIVERSARY-4-7-06

Aang awoke to an empty bed. Dusk had quickly dwindled to pitch darkness with the exception of the bright, crescent moon overhead. Yawning, the half-naked avatar searched about the bedroom for his princess. Their kitchen tryst had ended here hours before. Guessing that Mai and Izumi would return shortly, Aang opened the door to the small den.

The den appeared untouched though the avatar's heightened senses caught the sound of girlish giggling nearby.

 _Huh?_ He wondered, confused.

Azula rarely…giggled. He followed the sound towards Mai's master bedroom. The door was slightly ajar though a small lantern illuminated the three figures perfectly. Watching his step, Aang peered into the room to see his bride and her only two, childhood friends sitting atop the homeowner's bed.

His princess held a genuine smirk on her face, her gaze trapped on the talkative acrobat next to her in her performance clothing. The lady of the house gave pleasant sighs at her friend's jests intermittently with her back against the headboard. Aang warmed at the sight despite his earlier insecurities about his fiancée and her ex-girlfriend. He was about to return to the room when the conversation took an unexpected turn.

"Of course, you should do something special for your anniversary, 'Zula," commented Ty Lee. "Think about it. What's a better memory than a hot date on Appa?"

"A threesome?" offered Mai, passively.

Aang nearly blew his cover in an attempt to hear Azula's answer. It was indeed the night of their anniversary. The day they first met in the very walls of this earth kingdom city. Azula had not given any inclination that she wanted to celebrate it, however.

"Most definitely not. I don't share". Stated the princess, crossing her arms.

"What's wrong, Princess," teased Mai. "Don't trust your deity? He's _our_ avatar too".

A small smile crossed the young man's lips at the comment. He thought on the disappointed looks from Bumi's council members when he postponed the aqueduct project to be with Azula for the evening. Naturally, they brought up the problem of his lax decisions lately and readily blamed the princess.

"If only he was as loyal to his position as the bridge of the nations as he is to that woman," one of them spoke when they thought he was out of earshot.

Aang had been slightly offended by the remark. He had felt defeating Ozai was his long-awaited, self-less sacrifice as the avatar and he had executed the plan in the unlikeliest of ways. People were never satisfied, however, and constantly questioned his motives. Was he not entitled to some enjoyment in his 100 plus years?

"I don't blame you, Princess Azula," came Ty Lee's high-pitched voice. "He is quite the man. I'm really happy for you, ya' know? That you're happy".

Aang took the cue to reveal himself to the trio, faltering when Azula's sultry voice said, "I'm not sure what happiness means anymore, Ty Lee," she confessed. "I was once perfect. A god, myself, to my nation. Now I'm a step above being the avatar's concubine".

Aang swallowed hard. Was that how she really felt about their relationship? A twinge of regret rolled in his gut. He thought the betrothal necklace would solve Azula's inhibitions. _How do I prove myself to her?_ He wondered.

"You're so dramatic," commented Mai, rolling her eyes. "Did you and Zuko switch bodies or something in Forgetful Valley?"

"My brother's weak. He needs me to hone him into the fire lord he should be. My son or niece will not inherit a worthless throne as long as there is breath in my lungs". Insisted Azula.

"That's my Azula," cooed Ty Lee, sheepishly.

Aang noted the girl hesitantly bring her hand to the princess's face to remove a strand of hair. "I've always admired your confidence".

Aang could not help his shallow breathing as Azula leaned in towards her. The acrobat obviously held a strange pull over the woman. Quick movement from Mai, made him stumble some, however. The girls stopped when she rose.

"I'm fetching tea. I hope you two can play nice while I'm gone," she said.

Aang retreated to the kitchen in time before Mai appeared from the room.

"You're just in time," she said, unaffected by his obvious listening in. "Go fuck some sense into both of them".

#

Azula paused midway from Ty Lee's lips again, though the pink puckered lips begged to be taken into her own. The acrobat had practically thrown herself at the princess since arriving, yet Azula felt awkward. Surely, she did not hold the same affection as Ty Lee, but the thought of hurting the acrobat bothered her as much as seeing Aang's hurt face when she first rejected his marriage proposal.

"Ty," she breathed, harshly.

The girl opened her eyes and reddened. Time nor the princess's son had done anything to change the woman's feelings towards Azula. "I can't. I can't, without Aang. I have attachments with him. I trust you would understand".

Ty Lee nodded solemnly. Heartbreak was evident on her face in spite of Azula's carefully chosen words.

"You love him," said the acrobat almost to herself. "More than you love me. I know this. I ruined us".

Taking the girl's wrists in her hands, Azula rubbed them softly. She missed her softness as much as she surprisingly missed her voice.

"It's all in the past, Ty. I want you to move on. If we did this, it would only confuse us".

She was unsure of her words. Love was not becoming for her. It makes men weak. She had seen this multiple times. Rolling through her studies of military strategies in her head, she could not find a proper plan to execute in this situation.

"I…want you, Azula. I…" Ty Lee silenced.

"What?" Azula urged her on, aggressively. "What do you want? I gave you everything when we were together and you left me!" She hissed.

"I can't move on, ok! It's not fair! He gets the best of you. He gets to have you, b..b…but I was there! I was there when you needed me. YOU PUSHED US TO THIS POINT! We were dead before we could even try…"

"There is nothing for us anymore".

Ty Lee shook her head. "I don't believe that! We were best friends, Azula. Just because we are not together does not mean you have to completely…just…leave me!" Ty Lee shook out of Azula's grasp, her eyes looking past the princess. "I…I'm sorry, Aang".

Azula's eyes widened. Jerking her head towards the door she saw the avatar standing in the doorway, stoic. She knew he had to be livid for this. Azula was not sure how to address him. Before she could make a decision, warm lips caught her own. They were softer, the hands that held her face were forgotten until now. Azula moaned from her throat, eyes closing as she leaned into the kiss, passionately. She was surprised to feel another pair of lips between her collarbone and neckline attaching themselves. Those lips were familiar, making her gasp into Ty Lee's mouth.

She found herself pushed onto her back on Mai's crimson bed. Feet towards the headboard and head leaning over the foot of the mattress, breathless as both sets of lips took their turns kissing her along her neck and lips. Calloused hands kneaded her right breast, stroking the nipple to hardness through her bed-robe, while soft feminine lips captured the other breast aggressively.

Azula jerked in response to the attention to her body. "Ty," she gasped, grasping the woman's brown hair. "A-Aang," she called next when he replicated the girl's moves.

Both voices moaned in response. Two pairs of bright eyes glimpsed the other as the pair used their tongues to trail her sides simultaneously before meeting at her rising pelvis. Without permission, their lips met. Azula was unsure to whom to address her rising jealousy before her bed robe was discarded along with Aang's robe and Ty Lee's pink trousers.

The acrobat made a show of removing her half-shirt and breast band, revealing her toned, lithe body in contrast to Aang's manly physique. Azula's mouth watered at the sight of both. Her eyes drank in the familiar curves of her old friend before darting to the twitching member calling to her between her husband-to-be's legs. Her body writhed making the pair lean down to pay homage by meeting again at her center. Lightning flashed in Azula's mind when she felt two sets of heated breaths against her most sensitive area.

Azula bit her bottom lip to trap the cries of pleasure, instead a long, desperate whine managed to leak out of her body along with a flood of wetness shortly following. Azula moved her pelvis towards the pair, basking in the pleasure and arousal. She choked when a slender finger joined the motions. Aang caught her scream before she could reveal to Omashu her good fortune, allowing her to taste herself on his tongue as Ty Lee drove her to her breaking point with agonizing flicks of hers in tandem with two more fingers joining to stretch her open.

"Happy anniversary, My Love," whispered the avatar in her ear.

Azula brought her hand to meet the back of his neck, keeping the other glued to Ty Lee's hair. Between harsh pants and another electrifying kiss, she spoke breathlessly. "It is yours too".

Aang lifted his head, looking back to Ty Lee before meeting his fiancee's gaze again. Taking the hint, he pulled away, stroking himself from his position on his knees. He throbbed at the erotic display at the intimate women before him, though he was unsure of what to do.

Azula moaned beautifully in ecstasy, obviously on the cusp of a lovely finish from the acrobat. Aang gave fierce pumps with his hand to his throbbing member as he watched Azula grind against her ex-girlfriend's face fiercely before jerking with an open-mouthed, silent cry before her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Ohhh, Ty!" She gasped, falling against the mattress, muscles weak from exertion.

After she released her ex, the acrobat surprisingly set her eyes on her replacement and his fullness.

"Permission, Princess?" She asked, eyes locked on Aang's thick fingers, gripping the head of his extension.

Azula wiped her sweaty forehead, turning unto her side, lethargically. "Yes," she managed to say, eyes closing.

Without warning, Ty Lee pounced, nearly sending the avatar flying backwards. Replacing his hand with her own, she opened her lips and took him fully in her throat in a slow, amazing move that made his muscular hips float like an air temple. Groaning, she moved her head enthusiastically, searching his abdominals with her free hands.

"Amazing!" Aang found himself proclaiming, moving in varying patterns, in sync with the acrobat.

The outburst made his betrothed's eyes open wide. He thought he glimpsed a fleeting anger in them for several uncomfortable moments, contemplating removing himself from the acrobat's throat. He was shocked instead to see Azula turn onto her stomach to watch the display, head resting her palm. She smirked at the tightening of his muscles from Ty Lee's hunger. He could not help grasping the girl's tresses as he sped up. Azula lavished him often this way in the mornings, but the contortionist was a world threat with her mouth as well.

Leaning forward, he gritted his teeth as he felt an almost painful release moving along his shaft. Azula raised an eyebrow at this before taking Ty Lee's neck in a suckle, moving her tongue along the girl's earlobe, she whispered, softly, "Take a break".

Ty Lee released him immediately, yet he had no time to recover before Azula finished the job, herself. The acrobat moaned at the sight as Aang heaved, breathing erratically through his nose from Azula's lavishing. Instead of "taking a break", Ty Lee licked the avatar's shaft in time with her ex-lover, before moving downward to Azula's smaller breasts below, suckling each mound until they peaked.

The move sent Aang overboard. Grasping ebony hair, he released violently with short jerks that Azula accepted readily until he was spent.

#

Aang shook the ringing from his ears when he woke. Blinking twice, he focused on the two women in the midst of passionate love-making against the headboard of Mai's bed.

Ty Lee cradled Azula's head against her face. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you, so much".

The contortionist had the princess locked into place between her legs, hips grinding against the other with practiced, perfected timing. Her words, however, made the princess halt her movements and pull away from the other young woman's lips.

"Ty, what we had…it wasn't healthy. You deserve better. I don't feel the same for you. I-I don't know if I ever did," Azula confessed. "For so long, I blamed you and others, but I have a choice now. I care for you, but…"

"You don't love me. I remind you of your past. I understand and…I think I am ok with that," spoke the acrobat, sweetly. "I just want to be in your life. I want to be around you even if I can't have you. Even if this is our last time doing this together. At least I'll have this".

Removing a strand of hair from the princess's face, Ty Lee smiled softly through tearful eyes. "I love that you are finally happy. Your aura looks beautiful, I've never seen it that way before. I want that for you even if it's not with me".

"Thank you, Ty," said Azula, leaning over to kiss the woman again.

It was not long after that Ty lee caught Aang's low breathing, realizing he was awake. Pulling away, she smiled coyly at him. Azula's eyes turned back to meet her waking lover also.

"Care to share?" giggled Ty Lee.

The girls pushed away from one another, Ty Lee's hand finding her center while Azula crawled to Aang and positioned herself above him. She did not speak, instead stroking him to fullness before beckoning for the acrobat to join her. The two switched places and Aang's eyes widened in confusion and surprise when the acrobat aligned herself and began sinking down.

"Wha-" he started before being engulfed by Azula's lips.

"Enjoy it," she commanded.

Aang's eyes closed, his hands gripping the shapely hips rising and falling above him. Azula alternated between kissing her fiancé and suckling Ty Lee's full bosom, enjoying the scene as her lovers pleasured the other.

Ty Lee moaned, hips grinding fiercely as her climax approached again. Before she could scream and awaken the sleeping Izumi, a different set of lips caught hers as a scream began. Ty Lee's large eyes popped open to see lengthy, dark hair that was not Azula's.

Releasing her lips, Mai smirked. "I'm not going to miss the party," she said, smoothly, her hand finding Ty Lee's sweet spot, rolling it between her fingers, she added. "Plus, this is my bed".

Ty Lee howled into Mai's mouth, making Aang grunt from her tight clenching when she approached her release. Azula kissed him gently. "Fire Nation women are greedy, Dear, but we share sometimes," she cooed in his ear.

With that she placed a leg over Aang's head and descended. Aang moaned, eyes rolling from the taste of his lover, making him pump faster into Ty Lee, who whined from the movements from him and the knife-wielder. Coming up for air, the avatar spoke breathlessly.

"Azula, I…can't hold it much longer. I'm about to burst". He warned, curling his toes.

"Mmm, save some for me," she purred back.

Aang took the comment as confirmation and released. "Fuck!" Cried out Ty Lee, grasping Mai's hair as she paid homage to the acrobat's breasts. "I want more," she added, coming down from the release.

"Ty," Azula attempted to warn in a stern manner.

The girl chuckled and shook off of the avatar. Mai took the opportunity to lavish the deity.

"Spirits…" Hissed Aang, trying to concentrate on Azula's rolling hips.

"Allow me," said the acrobat, grasping the girl's breasts from behind. "You owe the lady of the house".

Instead of waiting for Aang's response, Azula switched faces fluidly, her eyes on Aang's lethargic body being engulfed by the knife-wielder. Using his breathing techniques, Aang was able to stiffen a second time once again under Mai's hungry swallows. Flipping the noblewoman unto her stomach Aang grasped his throbbing member, and aimed for her folds. He looked to his future wife for an affirmation before diving inside.

"Shit," hissed Mai, teeth gnawing at her sheets. "You are fucking amazing".

Aang's ego rose ten-fold as he managed to make the woman come alive beneath. She preferred it rougher than his lover and her ex, almost sparring with him as she bucked against him.

 _I'm never telling Zuko about this._ He decided though a part of him felt some vengeance was due against his best friend's and ex-wife's affair.

Mai's nails dug into her sheets while Azula gained dominance over her own partner. Ty Lee's back hit the mattress, hand immediately finding Mai's sweet spot and returned the favor while Azula pleasured her with her fingers and mouth. Side by side, the four rode blissful waves.

Unable to contain himself, Aang released another flood within Zuko's ex, collapsing atop her shoulders as she milked him. Ty Lee basked from the kiss the princess gave her after her own release. Azula watched Aang roll off the knife wielder. Ty Lee was spent, finally, and it seemed Mai was also after one round.

The princess pulled herself up and retreated to a nearby loveseat to distance herself from the sweaty bodies and stifling air. Without hesitation, Aang followed her.

"You're not tired?" Asked Azula in awe.

"Not the least," said Aang, taking his lover's knees in his palms. "Let's finish, shall we?"

Aang rubbed himself against the woman until he was coaxed back to fullness. She trembled from his slow push inside and held unto his neck with her arms. Aang placed his feet on the edge of the loveseat and spread the princess as wide as the Si Wong Desert before pushing down to lavish her with every ounce of strength he had left.

Ty Lee moaned from the bed as she watched Azula and her avatar. Mai slowly rose on wobbly legs next to her.

"I'm going to check on Izumi. Make sure to keep them quiet," she said, dressing herself.

Ty Lee nodded and waved her away unable to take her eyes away from Azula's blissful face. Though all four of them had enjoyed one another at some point, the pure love on the princess's face was evident in her tryst with the avatar. They were in their own world with Azula holding Aang's neck as he placed her knees over his shoulders. She repeated his name softly between strokes and kissed his face.

"I love you," they said in tandem, making Ty Lee feel like an intruder.

Wiping her tears away with her hand she looked about for her clothing.

"Ty," Azula suddenly called out to her.

Aang looked over his shoulder and paused mid-stroke. "Aren't you going to finish helping us celebrate?"

Ty Lee obliged, hurrying to the couple. She climbed the loveseat on her hands and knees, meeting Azula's lips then Aang's before cupping Azula's breasts and latching on. Azula moaned erotically and Aang detached. Gripping the acrobat's hips, he plunged in, eliciting a surprisingly sweet, silent scream. Azula brought her legs around Ty Lee's neck and the acrobat took the message. The three fell into a rhythm before Aang felt his release.

"He's all yours this time, Princess. Happy anniversary," said Ty lee removing herself from the avatar.

Aang dived back into his wife-to-be, grunting as he pushed himself to his limits to hold it together until she was in complete ecstasy. Ty Lee helped the matter by latching unto Azula's aroused spot as he moved. Azula bucked wildly, her fingers finding her ex-lover's place as well diving in.

Shortly after several more moments of bliss, the three peaked together in tandem before exhaustion took them all.

 **Let me know what you think! This was a tough one with so many characters, but dedicated to all of you smut lovers out there lol. Queen Ty**


	12. Awakened

Azula awoke to wetness on her toes. Squirming, she yanked her foot away from the dripping, only to feel a splash of dampness hit her forehead. Growling, the princess opened her eyelid, slightly. Scanning around, she recognized Mai's modest bedroom stylishly decorated to resemble the fashions of their homeland with its crimson walls and golden fixtures. Another splash nearly demolished the drowsy woman's false eyelash, making her golden glare search the bedroom for the source.

Eyes widening, Azula caught sight of the cracking, discolored ceiling. Hastily, she rose on her palms, stirring Ty Lee awake. The acrobat slept in a childish stupor atop Azula's leg, her mouth open, with the crimson sheets half-way off her naked body. Aang grunted between his snores on the other side of the princess. The memory of their anniversary shared with Azula's only friends brought a genuine smile to her face. It was a night she would always remember.

Shaking her thoughts away, Azula shook her fiancé awake roughly.

"Aang," she called. "Aang, get up!"

"In a minute, Princess," grumbled the avatar, swatting her hands away.

The crack in the ceiling widened, releasing more water from the unknown source. "Get up!" Yelled out the princess, making Ty Lee yelp and sit straight up in bed.

The sight of the half-asleep acrobat with her brown hair jutting out in all directions from relentless tugs of her signature braid was priceless. Azula would have laughed at being the reason for the young woman's current, horrendous state, if she wasn't worried about drowning.

Aang slowly rose, propping himself up. "What is it?" He asked, rubbing his eye with a knuckle.

Azula pointed up and his baby, brown eyes followed the direction quickly becoming fully alert. With swift movements, he managed to decrease the widening crack in the ceiling by pushing back the water. His face contorted with heavy concentration. Something was pushing harder.

"Quick, you and Ty Lee need to get out of here, now!" He ordered. "It is a lot of water. I'm not sure how long I can hold it".

The women shuffled for quick bed robes to throw around their forms before running towards the bedroom's exit. Halting at the doorway, Azula turned back to Aang, struggling to keep the roof from caving in around them.

"Come on, Azula, you heard him," said Ty Lee, tugging at the princess's arm. With a gentle pull, Azula wrenched her arm free. "What are you doing?" Hissed Ty Lee. "You're not a waterbender".

"Go make sure Izumi and Mai are ok. I'm not leaving my husband".

Ty Lee was about to correct her, but instead she smiled meekly at the princess's back. Darting out, she met Mai and Izumi in the gardens. Surrounding the mother and daughter on all sides were men and women of varying nations with very unfriendly expressions on their faces. Ty Lee searched for a hiding place to strike if necessary while Mai brandished her weapons in both hands. Izumi clutched her mother's dark dress, eyes low and reminiscent of her deadly aunt.

Ty Lee spotted a large cluster of shrubbery just beyond the group and took off in that direction. On her hands and knees, she peered at the scene.

"Surrender the avatar and the princess. You will remain unharmed," spoke a woman with dark hair, though her eyes and accent were clearly Water Tribe.

"I don't take orders well," hissed Mai. "Why don't you put that bending of yours to good use? This city is thirsty and you're wasting their water".

"Oh, we plan to," spoke a man at the woman's right. Ty Lee looked to him and quickly counted about fifteen people, though she could not see how many were dismantling the roof of Mai's home from its front. "The avatar's neglect is what led to this," continued the man. "He chooses to parade around with the world's oppressor instead of committing to his duties. The Red Lotus has been called upon to handle such transgressions".

A loud explosion from inside of the home caught everyone's attention.

 _No!_ Thought Ty Lee, watching the roof cave in on itself. She could not see a sign of Azula nor Aang from the dust and glass that burst from the collapse.

"Grab her!" Someone screamed, making Ty Lee reveal herself.

Several knives released from Mai's wrist as she attempted to flee. The waterbender took off behind the woman with her child in her arms. Ty Lee caught several vigilantes by surprise, paralyzing them one by one in their attempts to assist her.

"Mai!" She screamed out.

The knife wielder turned, eyes widening as sharp, ice daggers aimed for her face. In a breathless instant, the daggers burst into melted water droplets. Mai looked to her daughter.

"See, Mommy, Aunt 'Zula taught me that," the little girl beamed from her shoulder.

Mai gave a soft smile before sending a dagger at the shocked waterbender, nailing her to a nearby tree. The chaos died down when the woman grunted, head slumped forward from the impact. Placing Izumi on the ground, Mai approached the deadly stranger, ready to make her talk when Ty Lee approached carrying the burly man who had spoken to her atop her strong shoulders. His eyes were wide and fearful from his paralyzed state. Ty Lee dropped him with a hard thud and rolled her shoulders.

"Good thing I haven't stopped training since leaving the warriors," she announced proudly.

"Where are Aang and Azula?" Asked Mai. "I'm sure they would like a word with him".

Before Ty Lee could answer, another voice spoke.

"Safe, thankfully".

The three turned. Mai felt faint at the new blast from the past that had spoken.

"Zuko," she gasped, unsure of how to feel.

She and the fire lord glanced to the small child huddled next to her.

"Fire Lord," greeted Ty Lee, hoping to break the sudden tension.

"Good to see you again, Ty Lee". Turning his attention back to his ex, he bowed humbly. "Time has been good to you, My Lady," he complimented, making Mai's voice constrict.

"How did you find me?" Asked Mai as emotionless as she could manage.

"An anonymous tip flew in by messenger hawk," answered Zuko. "There was an interesting part that I needed to see for myself for affirmation, of course".

Mai's eyes lowered as Zuko stared at Izumi. "Where's Azula?" She hissed.

"Is she mine?" Asked Zuko. "She's mine, isn't she? It makes sense. The night before my father's war meeting. You've hidden her all this time, Mai? How could you? You know that kidnapping royalty is high treason".

"Not when she is _my_ daughter. I wanted to protect her from you and your sister. Your family and the whole divine right to rule rubbish. I did not want that for her".

Izumi gazed her mother confused. Ty Lee would not look at anyone, suddenly taking a deep interest in her bare feet.

"It's just like Azula to reach out to you behind my back. That snake. She's just like your father. Her son can have the throne. He can enjoy the same fate as your grandfather!"

Mai had barely sputtered the words in a thoughtless rage before she felt her chest tighten, her breath caught, unable to release from her nose or mouth. Panicking, she dropped to her knees, eyes wide.

"Mommy!" Screamed Izumi, hysterical as Mai grasped her throat, choking in attempts to draw in air.

Zuko and Ty Lee looked to the powerful being responsible. Zuko was speechless. He had never imagined Aang's airbending ability to extend to this. Fear of his once good friend, made the fire lord brandish two hot whips of fire.

"Release her, immediately, Avatar," he growled.

Aang's fingers pulsed, his eyes flickering between pure white and normalcy. Next to him, Azula's eyes were narrowed as she watched Mai struggle. Katara appeared with the last of the waterbending attackers incased in blocks of ice. She gasped, unsure of whether to approach Aang with Azula at his side.

"Let her go!" Growled Zuko.

"Or what, Zuzu? Your beloved obviously has a problem with us. Let's put her out of her misery, shall we?"

"Aang!" Hissed Katara, fingers clenched.

Both the princess and avatar's head jerked in her direction, Aang's eyes flickering. Azula bared her teeth.

"Aunt 'Zula, please," begged Izumi, grasping her mother's shoulders in a hug.

It was then that Azula touched her lover's bicep. "She is not worth it," said the princess.

Aang released the woman instantly, turning away from the party almost shamefully. Mai collapsed grasping for precious life as Izumi cried into her neck.

"Our son has nothing to do with your hang ups. You should know who holds the _real_ power, Brother. We don't take kindly to threats," said Azula.

The fire lord locked eyes with Aang. It was true, Aang was now a fully realized avatar. A threat if his sister held such power over the most powerful being on earth. As if reading his thoughts, Azula smirked at him.

"Can we just discuss this as adults?" Asked Katara. "These Red Lotus people were trying to kill you guys, obviously".

Aang turned to face the group as Azula surveyed the captives. The waterbender with Mai's knife jutting from her drenched, bleeding forearms groaned causing the princess to set her sights on the woman. With steady, elegant steps, Azula tightened the sash around her bed robe passively, licking her lips. The rush of interrogating captives burned her sleeping chi. The woman was lucky that she was handicapped, herself currently.

"You have no clue what is in store for you, Child" snarled the woman, breathing shallowing from excessive loss of blood.

"Azula, we don't want to call attention to ourselves," Zuko tried to intervene.

His efforts were futile as Azula approached the trembling woman. The waterbender avoided her soul-stirring gaze until the princess placed her forefinger under her chin, lifting it violently, making the woman see stars from the impact of the back of her head against the tree.

"I haven't been a child in a _long_ time," purred Azula, leaning close enough to blow the hairs in the woman's nose.

The woman was bold to say the least, staring the princess directly in the eye though she visibly trembled. "You people have oppressed your own and the world for centuries. You will soon be as extinct as your precious dragons," she hissed.

"Is that so?" Asked Azula, moving her hand slowly towards the lodged knife as she spoke. "Tell me. What do you know about dragons, Water Peasant?"

"That they're extinct," snapped the woman.

Azula smirked.

"Azula!" Called Zuko behind her, grasping for his new five year old to shield her face from the horrific scene. Turning to the avatar, he spoke hastily. "Aang, you're just going to let her-"

The blood curling cry was followed by blood spilling from the young waterbender's eyes and mouth. Zuko gripped his daughter's head against his belly. Katara trembled in horror. Mai was stoic and unflapped as usual while Ty Lee nearly lost last night's dinner. Azula wiped her hands clean with the waterbender's gown.

"There is a lesson, here, Zuzu. That is how you send a message. Now, deal with your own issues," said the princess, taking her silent future husband's arm with her own. "And to answer your question, Mai. Obviously, someone else has a problem with royalty also. Keep an eye on your princess".

With that the two departed.

#

"Yip, yip," said Aang, concentrating on navigating Appa in the windy air towards Hira'a. "We should make it before nightfall," said the avatar to his noticeably silent fiancée. "Something wrong, Princess?"

"You nearly killed her, you know," commented Azula, from the opposite end of the saddle, stroking Momo's fur passively as he relaxed on her lap. "You bent the air from her body. I did not know that was possible".

Aang sighed. He had tried to forget the ordeal, though he knew that he would need to deal with the Red Lotus situation soon for Azula's safety. The fact that the knife-wielder had threatened his beloved son had forced his emotions to burst in light of the events. He had lost control, but Azula had actually _killed_ in front of him and had done nothing to stop her. A part of him felt that it was due, yet the look Katara had sent his way made him shameful of his actions or lack thereof.

"I don't want to talk about it. It should not have gone that far," he said.

Azula caught the hint of bitterness in his voice. "Aang, those people were trying to kill us," she countered.

"No one's life should be taken, Azula. No matter the circumstance. It never solves things".

Azula pouted, crossing her arms. Momo squealed at her before flying off to land on Aang's shoulders. "Fine, it won't happen again".

Aang sighed. "I'm more worried about their motives. Have you ever heard of them? Do you think they will strike again?" He asked.

"I haven't. Though I'm sure Mai has an idea. How would they know to attack her home, her room, in particular?"

"They called me a traitor," Aang recalled. "They wanted to kill both of us".

"Exactly," agreed Azula. "What we stand for. Along with Izumi. Mai knows something. Why did she have the girl in the garden? Why was she willing to leave her home to us when she left for the Fire Nation? It does not make sense".

Aang felt apprehensive about Azula's allegations regarding her friend. "You know her best," he offered, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "I'll feel better when we pick up Zaheer. Maybe we can take a real vacation with Zuko in the earth kingdom, now".

"He's threatened by you, you know?"

"What?" Aang asked, releasing the reigns to let Appa fly the course in calmer air. He slid back to Azula's side, gently placing the woman on his lap, facing him. "I doubt that," he continued. "Everyone was just upset about everything".

"He's going to leave her," said Azula. "Your waterbender and her three kids will be ousted now that Izumi's in the picture".

Aang would not give the princess the satisfaction of rousing him. He was reminded of the face theif, Koh as he kept his emotions hidden.

" _Our_ _four_ kids will be fine," he said, coolly.

"I have opened my womb once, if I recall correctly. And yes, my son has his father to protect him along with me once I have my bending back".

Aang swallowed. "I have a duty to all of my children, Azula".

Azula shrugged. "Yes, I guess you're right," she gave a dramatic sigh, tracing the tattoo along Aang's broad chest and brick hard abdominals, moving the thin, orange sash over his shoulder away.

As if coaxed, Azula's red bed robe slid off her own shoulders, revealing a fresh, purplish bruise along her neckline slightly hidden by the black ribbon of her betrothal necklace.

"You still have it on," Noted Aang with a gorgeous smile. "It's beautiful on you".

She touched the pendant. "Perhaps I should remove it". She suggested.

Aang's smile vanished. "Why?"

"It is not fitting. Obviously, your _duties_ are more important than making me your wife," she snarled. "The Red Lotus made it clear that their very existence spurred from your choice to be with me".

"I can do what I want. I am the avatar," countered Aang.

"Then prove it!" Demanded Azula. "Prove you are a god among men! They should cower at your feet. Can't you see? They want to replace you. Even Zuzu knows your power, yet he can do nothing about it. With me as your wife, I can make them respect you as they should. Who are we to listen to them? We can take the world, together if we wish".

Instead of allowing the avatar to speak, she kissed him with intense passion, groaning when she felt him harden against her flat, exposed stomach.

#

"Mai please, Azula and Aang were just upset," said Ty Lee from her perch on the sofa in the King Bumi's remodeled guest room. "You shouldn't have said that about Zaheer".

If looks could kill, Ty Lee was sure she would have visited the spirit world long before she expected to. Mai glared at her before turning calmer eyes to Izumi sitting between her mother and her father along with Katara and her rug rats. Of all the kids, Izumi and Katara's eldest, Bumi, hit it off quickly. They instantly began bonding over rock candy and fire flakes with sprinkles.

They were all awaiting King Bumi and his council to discuss the matter of The Red Lotus along with apologizing for any more of Aang and Azula's havoc wreaking the past few days in Omashu.

"Aang is dangerous with Azula, Zuko. You saw it, yourself!" Growled Mai.

The fire lord did not speak though he did squeeze Katara's hand gently when she grasped his for comfort.

"I don't know my sister's intentions". He spoke. "She does not want to be fire lord. She made that clear to me before".

" _Azula always lies_ ," reminded Mai.

"Even if she did want it, Aang would not allow it. It is not her destiny".

Mai's eyes narrowed at the waterbender across from her. "Speaking of destinies," she said. "Now that Izumi is here, I would think she would be next in line for the throne".

Zuko winced visibly. Ty Lee bit her lip, looking between the three. "The Red Lotus is targeting the royal family. Could they be part of the New Ozai Society?" She asked.

"It's possible given what happened with my mother," Zuko pointed out. "Her death was an accident, I'm told".

Mai crossed her arms. "And you want your daughter to be a part of this mess?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Izumi won't be hurt," said Katara. "Zuko and I can make sure of this".

"Oh, you're fire lady now?" Asked Mai, knowing the answer. She still had a copy of the daily news release sent from her homeland even while in Omashu for the past few years.

Katara's face fell. "Well, um, no, but-"

"Then you're speaking out of turn. Tell me, have you educated yourself in the ways of _our_ nation, Katara?"

The waterbender's face scowled immediately.

"Only the ways of tyranny that were forced down my throat!" She growled, shocking Mai with her surprisingly easy mean streak.

"Before or After Zuko?" retorted Mai.

 _Sleeping with your sister's waterbending twin, hmm, Zuko?_

"That's enough, Mai!" Zuko spoke, regally standing to emphasize his point.

Mai analyzed her nails, undisturbed by his display. "I'll let Zuzu explain to you of your place now that he has his heir. I will be on the balcony until the king comes".

With that, she floated away. Ty Lee hurried to catch up with her. "Mai, I-I don't like seeing you like this. You are reminding me of…Azula," said Ty Lee remembering the woman's sudden decision to execute the waterbending Red Lotus member, vividly.

"We're not sleeping together again, Ty," joked Mai, smoothly.

Ty Lee sucked in her cheeks. "I'm serious! You were really rude to Katara".

Mai shrugged, clutching the balcony's rails with murderous eyes looking towards the direction Azula and Aang took Appa upon leaving them behind to clean up their mess. Just like the good ol' days when it came to the princess.

"Did you not see her ex-husband nearly kill me! Yet, she wants to play nice like the avatar is so innocent to Bumi. Plus, she is Water Tribe, herself. Zuko is already known in the capital as a traitor. He would be dethroned the instant he marries that woman".

"Do you want to marry him, Mai? Do you love him, still?" Asked Ty Lee, propping herself atop the rails without fear of the possible plummet to a sure death below.

Eyes wide, Mai snarled. "You idiot! This is not about me or love, for the matter! This is about OUR nation! My daughter's legacy. If Zuko does something stupid, the nobles will be up in arms, you know this! Then Azula will be next in line along with those monsters' son. She showed us all that she has not changed. This is about saving our freedom, Ty".

Ty Lee bit her bottom lip.

"What?" Mai inquired at her silence.

"Don't get upset, ok".

Mai rolled her eyes. "Spill it, Ty".

The acrobat wrung her hands, breathing harshly. "Well, do you remember Kei Lo?" Mai nodded. "Well, he and I started dating a little while after you dumped him…" She paused awaiting Mai's further unflapping.

"Go on, that doesn't surprise me. Patsies like him are just good for a fuck or two".

Ty Lee chuckled. "Yeah, he's no Azula or Aang, but he's not bad".

"Ok, is that all you had to say?"

Ty Lee shook her head. "No, it seems after you broke up with him, he blamed Zuko, and he wasn't too happy when I…um…I kind of said Azula's name by accident".

A roar of laughter took the acrobat aback. Mai held her chest to calm herself. "I-I'm sorry…You are helpless, Ty," she said, with a final chuckle.

Ty Lee shrugged, carelessly. "Hey, I was in the moment. Anyway, seriously, Mai. I-I think he is communicating with your dad again, somehow. That's why I came to Omashu, undercover with the circus. Suki was going to keep an eye on him while I looked for someone he is associated with named Xai Bau or something".

"Xai Bau? The Northern Water Tribe war lord?"

"Yeah, I guess," said Ty Lee.

"Ty, this is serious. Obviously, Kei Lo has a lot of international support. We need to protect Zuko and my daughter".

"What about Katara," asked the acrobat.

"She's Water Tribe, Ty".

"Southern," pointed out the acrobat.

Mai rolled her eyes, done with the conversation. "A traitor. I don't trust her. But I'd rather have Azula's support if we are facing a former war lord".

"How?" Asked Ty Lee fidgeting with her fingers.

"Easy, the princess is too stubborn to come on her own. If Kei Lo plans to seek her out again, let him. She will know his affiliations with my father and me. Patience is key when it comes to Azula. I'll let her come to me".

#

The couple was still in the midst of lovemaking when dusk changed the clear skies orange. Azula rode her lover backwards, her arm snaked around his neck with her head hanging over his shoulder. Aang slowed Appa with a gentle tug of the reigns. Momo had flown off in search of his next meal, letting the avatar know that they were nearing the former Princess Ursa's homeland. Bringing Appa down just outside of the small town, Aang let go of the reigns to finish Azula off, gaining dominance with the princess on all fours.

He placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her screams from his faster thrusts. "Shh," he reminded her. "You don't want someone to catch me _dominating_ the great Princess Azula, do you?" He asked.

Azula chuckled. "Never," she moaned into his palm. "Harder," she begged. "Harder, take _my_ breath away". Aang stood on the balls of his feet, pounding her until she bit his hand, fluttering around him, completely spent.

Leaning forward in Appa's saddle, the princess breathed out, happily. "Go on, I don't want to see that place again," she said, curling into a ball.

Aang nodded and placed a blanket over her shoulders. Azula was asleep before he had finished dressing into his traditional Air Nomad garments. Kissing her sweaty forehead, he grasped his staff and entered the gates of Hira'a.


	13. Crying

_"I'm so proud of you, Sweetie"._

 _Azula allowed her mother to remove a strand of hair from her face. She knew instantly that this was all a dream, of course. Yet, she did not want to wake a moment sooner. She was as content as she never dreamed in her mother's welcoming arms. She felt safe and, for once, whole._

 _"He's a good man," added Ursa from above._

 _Azula shifted unto her back with her head in her mother's lap. She recognized her tiny feet and hands, yet her memories were intact, despite being a little girl again. "He is. I love him very much, Mother"._

 _"Tha_ _t is wonderful, Sweetheart. I am sure he feels the same," she answered with a smile._

" _We are getting married soon. I wish you could be there. I do not know the ways of a proper wife or mother," confessed the girl. "I'm…scared"._

 _Ursa stroked her daughter's cheek with a hurtful smile. "You only fear things you cannot control. Being a wife and mother has its challenges, believe me and you can't control everything, My Dear. I am always here when you need me most. There is nothing to worry about"._

 _Azula nodded. "So, I can visit you again?" She asked. Ursa nodded. "How?"_

 _"J_ _ust as you did now. Your body calls to me when you are feeling vulnerable. Think of it as a mother's instinct. I know when my children need me most"._

 _"I_ _missed you, Mother," Azula confessed, truthfully. "So did Fath-Ozai. He would often call me your name when…" She paused, shame washing the words away._

 _Ursa's mood darkened at this. "If only I could have done the task, myself. I was never as brave as you"._

 _Azula was surprised at the statement. Her mother was the bravest person she knew._

 _"Y_ _ou gave your life for my son…for me. You did it even when I hated you"._

 _"I d_ _id as a mother should, Azula. That is to be expected. You'll understand one day"._

 _Azula shook her head in denial. "No, I would not give myself up for slaughter for anyone". She announced, adamantly._

 _Ursa chuckled. "That scar on your abdomen says otherwise," she pointed out._

 _"Well…that was different…I love…" Azula's voice trailed when her hand met her stomach._

 _A light, familiar flutter made her remove quickly. She scrambled to a sitting position, facing her mother with her legs crossed, gasping. Ursa smiled knowingly._

 _"I_ _—I'm, no…I can't be"._

 _Her mother's hand gently touched the girl's pouting belly. "A girl," she proclaimed._

 _Azula's eyes misted. Quickly she shook her nine-year-old head. "Katara said I could not birth more children after she healed me. Aang and I aren't married, yet. How do I know he will even want to? What if he leaves? I can't have this child too"._

 _The smile on Ursa's face vanished. "Azula, you cannot allow fear to hinder your relationship. Life has strange ways of making you face these fears. Face them, Azula. I know you can"._

Azula screamed from her sleep, swatting away a drooling Momo. Blood trinkled down her forearm angering her as she grasped the small animal by its neck and shook him vigorously.

"Did you just BITE ME!" She hissed, shaking the froth out of the animal's mouth.

To her further surprise, Momo growled angrily back. Appa growled awakened from dreamland also as they awaited Aang's return with Zaheer just outside of the gates of Hira'a. Azula threw the flying lemur against a nearby tree when he snapped at her again. Appa blew a gust a of air in the creature's direction when Momo sprang back towards them, eyes wild, lips drenched in white liquid. The two animals faced off with Appa standing between Momo and the princess.

Confused at the entire tirade, Azula's mind focused on the pain in her arm. Smoke formed from her fingers, yet she could not summon her bending. Momo managed to fly past the bison, battling against the gusts of air from its tail as he sped towards Azula once more in rage. In a swift attempt to grasp the princess's neck with his mouth, Momo swooped like a bullet towards her. Azula caught him by the neck once again and instinctively jerked her hands when she grasped his head.

Aang's beloved pet murmured as life left his small body instantly. Azula dropped him in shock.

"What did I do? Aang's going to be pissed!" She whispered to herself.

Appa groaned in obvious sadness at the horrific death of his friend. Azula fell against the soft animal's head, tiredness in her limbs.

"I'm sorry. I had no other choice," she said to the beast, rubbing his fur, softly.

Her stomach fluttered, reminding her of her dream and her newfound knowledge. Appa lapped at the gash on her arm to stop the bleeding.

"Thank you," she said to him.

She was unsure why Momo attacked her so suddenly. She also was unsure of how to tell her betrothed about their new child and her hand in murdering his pet.

"We have to get rid of him," she told Appa.

The beast groaned which Azula took as affirmation. Using a strong tree branch and jagged rocks, she set to work, digging a shallow grave for the animal. She had just finished and was about to place Momo in his eternal home when a sweet baby's giggles made her meet baby, brown, wide eyes.

"Azula? What happened?"

The princess's shoulders shook. Finally, after several moments, she managed to speak to the avatar. He stood mere feet from her with their son happily rubbing his bald head atop his shoulders. If circumstances were different, she would have cried at the sight, but they weren't and instead she found her eyes watering at the hurt on Aang's face.

"I did not do it on purpose," she professed. "He was attacking me. I had to protect myself," she explained.

Appa groaned in response.

"See! Ask your bison!" Declared Azula, feeling overwhelming shame for her dependence on a non-verbal, shaggy beast for a witness.

"Momo," whispered Aang. "Azula, I know you didn't like him, but to…kill him? He was an innocent animal. What's wrong with you?"

 _What is wrong with that child?"_

Her lip trembled. "He bit me! Look!" She announced, revealing the scar on her arm.

Aang gently placed Zaheer atop Appa's saddle. With his back turned to the princess, he asked lowly. "What did you do to make him?"

Laughter, only laughter could ripple in Azula's throat. "Are you fucking kidding me, Aang? You're this worked up over a dead animal? What about our son? He's alive and well! We even have another child to replace that vile creature!"

Aang's head jerked in her direction, confusion and anger shown in his eyes before they softened. "A-Another?" He questioned the princess.

Azula placed her hand on her belly. To her surprise, Aang did not react as expected.

"You are bringing life into this world, yet you take life so…willingly," he said in disgust. "I-I can't marry someone like…you".

The whimper from somewhere inside the princess made her body shake violently. Immobile as Aang kissed their cooing son, gently. Words would not summon from her, frozen like her chi.

"Aang-" She finally managed to choke out, unable to stop the flood weighing down her eyelids. "You don't mean that. Please, don't do this to me".

 _I need you._ She wanted to say, afraid at what was to come, she kept her words hidden.

"You're a killer, Azula," said Aang, coldly. "I thought…I thought our love would be enough. I thought Zaheer would be enough".

 _This can't be real._ Thought Azula as Aang wrenched the knife further into her heart.

"We can't continue this way. I don't like what I'm becoming with you. This isn't love, Azula. Love changes people, I guess it is like you said, it was always just…fucking".

The word sounded strange from the avatar. Azula's chest burned more than her throbbing, half-healed scar. She touched the pendant about her neck when she attempted to still her pounding heart. Snatching it away, she hurled it with full force at the tattooed man's head. Aang did not flinch at the impact. Instead he turned, his face red and Azula gasped at his bloodshot eyes. He made to hurry, grasping the cracking princess, now breathing hard on one knee. A flare of blue fire emitted from red, painted lips.

The flame was immense and incredibly darker, catching Aang's sash, melting it on impact to expose his upper body completely.

"Azula, calm down," he begged reaching for her.

The princess growled in pain as two more flares emitted from her nostrils. Aang blew them away before they could burn their vulnerable son.

"Azula! Stop, please!" He yelled, using his earth bending to trap the woman's body up to her neck.

Her head fell forward as she cried out. Her hair, wet from her tears, she snapped at him through her dark sea of black, golden eyes full of hurt.

"Not one more step!" She panted. "Who do you think you are? You can't just fuck me and leave me FUCKED! I am NOT your waterbender! You WILL stay with me!"

Zaheer whimpered as if he understood what was happening between his powerful parents.

"You took off the necklace!" Aang pointed out. "You never wanted this anyway. Why do you want to keep up this charade? Deep down we both know this cannot work!"

"I'm having another child for you!" Azula hissed back.

"Is that the only reason you want me to stay?" He asked. "Is that all?"

 _Because I NEED you._ She wanted to say, but instead saying, "I thought that was reason enough. You obviously don't think so, you greedy asshole!" She sniffled.

Aang released the earth bounds, catching the princess before her body could hit the ground. He half-cradled the beautiful woman gently removing her wet hair from her face.

"You have to trust me, Aang. If this is going to work, we have to trust each other," said Azula, her voice hoarse.

She was rendered helpless when her cheeks burned from a light kiss on her forehead. "I want this, Aang. Don't leave me, please. I-I am begging you. Is that not _good_ enough for you?"

Aang gave a small, painful smile that Azula returned. Instantly their lips captured the others', followed by Azula finding a fading bruise from their anniversary tryst. "Stay with me, Aang," she whimpered, suckling his neck, basking in the gasp that she elicited. "I love you".

Aang's hands gently held her head as he placed her on the ground and placed his large palms on either side of her. She pushed against his reaction swelling his trousers longingly.

"I love you," she repeated, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, latching onto his toned back muscles with her nails. "Stay with me".

Her legs spread for him, welcoming him eagerly. Azula moaned when his hand moved along her bedrobe, peeling it open to reveal her pale body, heating from anticipation. "Yes," she gasped when his hand neared her center, lightly stroking her inner thigh. Unable to stop herself, Azula's hands tugged at Aang's trousers, releasing his member to the open air. Aang groaned when soft hands stroked him, biting his lower lip, he moved with growing passion.

Azula licked her lips as she aligned him. The moment they united brought forth a silent scream from the princess and a pleasurable moan from the avatar. Aang hurriedly spread her further as he slowly rolled his hips until wet heat engulfed him whole.

"Spirits!" He uttered, completely taken by the beauty under him.

She moaned back at his movements. They moved as if time did not exist. Azula pulled him until nothing was left, her legs only allowing their hips freedom to wind in a militaristic pattern, left twice, then right, so nice, so agonizingly slow. The slowest rollercoaster ride with their gasps echoing the pattern.

Aang's mind clouded with Azula only. He felt the earth quake lightly as his chi shook the grassy patches around them.

"Yes…" groaned Azula, squeezing his back tightly.

Blue fire from her nostrils melded with Aang's orange flames from his. Steam rose from an encircle of water that trapped them. Both masterbenders were only aware of one another as Aang's tattoos and eyes shone white light. Azula flipped her lover unto his back and rocked above him. She increased the tempo, grasping her rear to open more for him as she rode him up and down, clenching at key intervals.

Aang came apart beneath her. She watched his lips spread as a beastly growl emerged. She silently praised her skills, bending over to take his lips. If there was anything she knew how to do perfectly, it was fuck the avatar out of his mind.

#

 _"You seem to have gained some…thing by coming in here alone," Azula commented, coldly, kicking herself in her mind for her lack of a strong, condescending remark at the avatar opening her door solo and unannounced. "Haven't my babysitters been released from their posts by this time?"_

 _Aang nodded, closing the door behind him. "I just wanted to talk to you. Ya' know before we head out for Hira'a tomorrow"._

 _Azula raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Well, speak, Avatar. I'm all ears"._

 _"Well, you first, Zuko said you got the information from Ozai"._

 _Azula nodded from her cross-legged position on the bed. She grasped a cigar and lit it with her forefinger. "He was quite forthcoming. It's not like I did not work for the favor. It was due," she revealed, taking a long inhale, releasing a cloud of smoke slowly._

 _"And?" Aang urged._

 _Azula's eyes narrowed. "You came to talk to me, Avatar. There's nothing left to discuss? Then run along so that I may catch my beauty rest before our scheduled early rise in the morning". She paused, with the cigarette half-way to her lips. Glancing down, a smirk crossed her lips as she looked the man up and down, noticing his reaction to seeing her in nothing, but a silk night robe._

 _Taking a final intake, she snubbed her cigar, bringing a knuckle to her chin. "Unless…you want to do more than talk?"_

 _Aang's eyes widened at her bluntness and Azula was surprised at her own open flirtation with her enemy._

 _"Sorry, guess it's the stubble on your chin. It is quite…arousing, I guess is the correct word," she stated, waving him away._

 _Aang unknowingly flexed his bicep, rubbing his neck with a light blush. "You like it?" He asked. "I was going to cut it before it grew unmanageable"._

 _Azula rolled her eyes at his lack of style. "Don't you know bald is soooo not in these days. You should allow it to grow. It would suit you better"._

 _"Really? Guess I could," said Aang, blushing until he resembled a ripe tomato. "Um, thanks?"_

 _Azula smirked at this. "You're still here," she noted. "I'm sure your waterbender could find a use for that," she teased, pointing at the tent in Aang's trousers._

 _She rose from bed at this. With quick steps, she trapped him against the door, pressing against his form._

 _"Legs are the only things open at this hour, Avatar. Is that why you're still here, hmm? I'm a pretty good liar, remember? She won't suspect a thing, should you…"_

 _"No," Aang spoke breathlessly. "I need to leave"._

 _Azula's smirk widened. Without permission, she eased a manicured hand into the avatar's orange trousers and stroked him. Aang reacted immediately, wetting her hand with his arousal._

 _"Mmm, no need to go away blue. You are the avatar, after all," said Azula guiding him by his member to her crimson bed._

 _She was quite hot and bothered, herself, from the teasing and the sexy being before her. She had never thought of the avatar as more than a pesky, war terrorist that she needed squashed as quickly and efficiently as possible. She had only been introduced recently to sex from Ozai and Ty Lee. Her father had taken her without choice, but with the acrobat, she had found power in the act. Could she control such a man as she had her best friend and in some twisted way, her father? She was anxious to find out, pulling the avatar to the edge of her bed. She watched his eyes roll to the back of his head. Sitting on the edge, she released him and opened wide._

 _"Well?" She asked with a lifted eyebrow._

 _Aang's forehead was sweating profusely as he gripped his member with one hand, grasped her kneecap with the other, eyes staring at the drenched woman._

 _"I'm getting married soon, Azula," he told her._

 _Azula's hand found her center on its own making Aang's mouth water as she moved her finger in small circles. His hand matched her finger, eliciting erotic, passionate moans. Azula had to admit, she was impressed at his resistance. Unable to take rejection, she stopped her movements, flipping onto all fours and replaced his moving hand with her lips._

 _"Monkey-feathers!" Gasped Aang, his head falling backwards. "Monkey…f-f-feathers"._

 _His hand took her hair between his fingers. He could not resist further. He banished Katara from his mind as Azula's attention filled his mind and he found her center with two fingers to give her pleasure also. Their relationship began from innocent fondling and both agreed to a truce and a promise to forget the tryst._

 _When Azula emerged fully clothed from her home with her simple luggage, the first face that greeted her was none other than the stubble-bearded man she had semi-fucked._

 _"Good morning, Azula, nice day for a trip, huh?" He greeted, sweetly with a wave and smile._

 _Azula swallowed the thought of the previous night. It meant nothing. She reminded herself. Besides, I could never have such a man. I'm already…taken. With that she touched her growing belly._

#

Princess Azula opened her eyes expecting Aang's presence to be nonexistent. Sure enough, she was alone, Zaheer tucked neatly beneath the blanket with her in Appa's saddle. Azula lifted herself unto a shaky palm, tears burning her retinas. She blinked them away. He left. Just like everyone did. Who was she to believe another child was enough to keep him? The water peasant had opened her womb thrice for the man and he still left her. What was she thinking falling for him? How did she make such a mistake? She came to him a wayward woman and he treated her as such. Why allow her heart to break with such misery again?

Azula had told herself that she was in love. She allowed herself to be owned again by a man who held her with tender hands and made love to her instead of pillaging her insides like her father did in her youth. She used sex in defense with her father, anything to be treated better than Zuko. Anything to stop him from thinking of the woman who birthed her which always led to blind rage for their strong resemblance.

 _"You screamed like your mother last night". Ozai had remarked once, after dinner. "She loved this as will you one day. A whore can only hope to bear weaklings for sons and sluts for daughters"._

She had become the demeaning names her father came up with for her. Zaheer sneezed lightly, momentarily gaining her attention.

"My son," she whimpered. "He…He left us".

Wondering what names Aang referred to her as while he chummed it up with his boomerang loving friend, she picked up her son, hoping she could find milk in the city of Hira'a. She did not see the bag of gold that she and Aang had carried from the Fire Nation and assumed he had taken it with him. Though Appa's presence baffled her.

 _As much of animal lover he is, why wouldn't he take his flying bison?_

Instead of dwelling on the matter, Azula slid from Appa's tail with her son in her arm. The bison was sleeping peacefully.

 _I'd better not leave him. He could be our ticket out of here._ She thought, strategically.

Clutching her son to her chest with Aang's unborn thrashing her ribcage, Azula wiped the last of her tears as she hesitantly moved towards the small town in search of Kiyi.

#

A rope squeezed the air out of Aang's neck, dragging him from his sleeping fiancée and their child. Appa snored from a tranquilizer to his body as several Dai Li agents emerged from the surrounding forest.

"Don't kill him," hissed a voice the avatar recognized.

He coughed when he was released. Ready to summon his bending.

"Uh, uh, uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Your beloved is lying beautifully with earth around her".

Aang's heart dropped. "Azula," he gasped. "Please, don't hurt her," he pleaded. "I'll do whatever you want".

Kei Lo gave a light chuckle though the man next to him narrowed his eyes in mistrust. Aang's jaw burned from his clenched teeth. How Kei Lo had managed to find former advisor to King Keui, Long Feng, was beyond him.

"Oh, I have a score to settle with the princess, Avatar. Trust me, I want her alive as well. She's just too _delicious_ to kill".

Anger boiled in Aang's chest. "Listen, whatever you plan to do, please understand that she's pregnant and-"

Kei Lo let out a hearty laugh. "Whew! Already? Boy, you two work fast huh? Another heir to the throne? Why isn't that touching? How is Mai and Zuko's bastard anyway?"

Recalling the events from yesterday, Aang clenched his fingers. "You? You two are part of the Red Lotus!" He accused.

Long Feng shrugged. "We are just men with a grudge to settle. Now, we wouldn't want you awakening the sweet princess, would we? Especially with her condition?"

Aang dropped his fists. "What do you want?" He asked.

Long Feng smirked. "Come, let's discuss this in a better place. You remember Lake Laogi, don't you, Avatar?"


	14. Lantern

It was a short walk to Ursa's former home as Noriko. The modest home was as Azula recalled upon seeing it again. A single lantern burned in the middle of the family of two's dining room table flickered, allowing plain sight into the home where a heartbroken father ate with his teen daughter in melancholy silence. Zaheer wiggled in his mother's arms, his face scrunching cutely, though his wail was loud enough to awaken his long dead forefathers.

Kiyi glanced up from her bowl of kimodo chicken and white rice. Eyes wide, she looked to the window. She squinted at the feminine figure, slightly hidden from the setting sun.

"Azula?" She wondered in surprise. She started to rise to her feet when a firm hand grasped her elbow tightly.

"No, Kiyi, I don't think that's wise. That woman nearly destroyed this house last time she was here," warned her father in a low tone.

"She's my _sister_ , Dad," snapped the young woman, rolling her eyes at his cowardice. "Something has to be wrong if she's here".

Gently removing her arm from his grasp, she added, "Don't worry. I've trained with the fire lord's handpicked masters for years. I think I can give the prodigy a run if she has cruel intentions".

Giving her worried father a confident smile, Kiyi hurried to the door, opening it to reveal the woman, who looked worse for the wear with dark circles under her eyes that either emerged from stress, crying, lack of sleep or all of the above.

"Milk," commanded Azula, coldly when the door opened.

Kiyi pouted. "Hi, Sis, come in," she grumbled, moving aside to allow her and the baby to enter through the doorway.

"Milk now, Kiyi," growled Azula, scoffing at a staring Ikem. "What are you looking at? See something you like?" She cooed. "I can pay generously, if you wish".

Ikem looked away shamefully as lust rolled through him. He could not help his attraction to the woman who held such a strong family resemblance to his late wife in her youth. He excused himself shamefully from the sisters, hurrying to the bedroom, locking his door behind him.

Kiyi sighed and opened the icebox to retrieve fresh, bottled milk leftover from her sweet nephew's stay. Azula snatched the bottle and gave it to the upset child.

"Shh, drink up, Sweetie," she whispered in a broken tone, her eyes soft as she gazed at the handsome baby boy with pure love.

"Where's Aang?" Asked her half-sister, making Azula turn away from her to hide her face.

Blinking back tears, she swallowed the pain from hearing the man's name. _Get over it! He's done with you, Whore!_ She reminded herself. Clearing her throat, she changed the subject.

"I need money for a hotel in Republic City".

"Without Aang?" Asked Kiyi, obviously refusing to let the matter go. "What happened? Did you leave him, Azula?" She grilled the questions in a snappy tone.

 _He left me._ Thought Azula.

Slamming the empty bottle on the dining table, Azula snapped back. "My business is my own! Can you shut your fucking mouth and give me the money? Agni, you peasants have no respect for royalty, these days!"

Kiyi's mouth dropped and Azula could feel her rising chi before she spoke. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" She cried out, fists lighting orange. "Peasant? Really? Oh, sorry, I wasn't born with a silver spoon stuck up my royal cheeks! I can't believe you walk in here, shame my father and insult me! ZuZu may be afraid of you, _Princess_ , but you can kiss my _peasant_ ass if you think I'm gonna wipe yours!"

Azula could not stop the shaky smirk that lifted at the corners of her lips. _You are definitely my little sister._ She thought in quiet humor.

"Little, Replacement Bitch," she shot back, instead, hoisting Zaheer over her shoulder to burp him.

"Pompous Slut," teased Kiyi, not noticing Azula's flinch at the insult.

"Ahem, well, let's start over, shall we?" Asked the princess, taking a seat on a pillow Ikem had occupied around the dining table.

Zaheer let out a loud burp. Kiyi chuckled and sat next to the mother and son. She was about to ask her sister again about her fiancée, but the inconsistent pulse of a vein in Azula's neck caught her attention, readily.

"You're pregnant," proclaimed Kiyi happily. "Azula! You're having another avatar baby!" She squealed with her hands covering her cheeks.

Rolling her eyes, Azula cradled her son against her pouting abdomen. "Yes, which is why we need to go to Republic City. Aang is waiting for us there and he took Appa," she lied, easily.

Kiyi's eyes narrowed and as Azula was thinking of a better lie, she said, "Ok…well, I'm not letting you go alone".

Azula's eyes bulged wide. "You're not going with me," she rejected immediately.

"It's boring here, plus Dad won't let me bring girls over," Kiyi groaned. Azula's raised eyebrow made her add, "I totally meant guys!" She chuckled out.

"Hmm," Azula shrugged, kissing her son. "Well you should be happy. Enjoy your innocence for as long as you can".

"Like you?" Asked Kiyi, making Azula's temper flare. When they locked eyes, she realized Kiyi could not possibly know any details about her shameful past. Even her mother was kept in the dark until shortly before her untimely demise.

"Yes, like me," she answered to drop the subject. "Also, Ikem would kill himself in this house alone. You should care for him while he's still around".

Kiyi shrugged carelessly which baffled Azula. The man seemed to adore his family and with their mother's death not long ago, she would think the two would have grown closer with the tragedy.

 _Oh, well, not MY problem._ She told herself.

"Is it possible to get a bath and a bed for the night?"

Kiyi nodded and took Zaheer in hand while Azula headed for the outdoor bath springs. Luckily, Hira'a was once part of Fire Nation lands before literally breaking away from the mainland. This led to the ground being made of volcanic earth and ripe for a scalding hot spring. Azula slowly sank into the water and sighed as the scalding liquid relaxed her muscles. She decided against staying in the bath for hours as she normally would, as her mind shifted to the active unborn within her slowly expanding womb.

"Congratulations, Azula," she murmured to no one. "Not even 25 with two children, fresh out of the nuthouse and a reputation for being the avatar's cunt. What a…prodigy".

A rustle of branches made her emerge from the spring instantly. "Who's there?" She asked, in her old general's tone. "Face me, Coward!"

Instead of Red Lotus or New Ozai rebels, Azula set her predatory eyes on the form of a half-naked teenaged girl around Kiyi's age.

"S-Sorry, Ma'am!" Stuttered the pretty Fire Nation girl, red-faced.

"Who are you?" Asked the princess, sternly.

The girl's eyes widened in fear. Azula knew the look of someone thinking of a lie.

"N-No one, Ma'am!" Squealed the teenager. At Azula's slit eyes, she hastily added. "Just a neighbor! Kiyi's my best friend from school".

Sensing there was truth, Azula turned her back and dropped back into the water. She could care less about Kiyi's dumb school pals. She seethed in growing anger as she scratched her irritating, scarred forearm passively. She had to find Aang quickly. He would not leave HER without consequence. She sank into the water further in her brooding.

#

"She's in Hira'a," announced Fire Lord Zuko with a letter in hand.

Katara looked up from her conversation with Ty Lee in the palace gardens. Ty Lee squealed like a schoolgirl.

"Really? How did you find out?" Asked the circus freak.

"My other sister, Kiyi. She sent this by messenger hawk last night," said the fire lord, waving the letter.

"Is Aang with her?" Asked Katara.

"I'm sure. She didn't mention him, strangely," said Zuko in a strange tone, that made Katara raise an eyebrow.

"Then, he's not".

Three sets of eyes looked to the woman silently brooding from the dark shadows of the gardens. Mai approached the group with her daughter and all of Katara's water tribe rug rats at her trail.

"What do you mean, Mai? Aang wouldn't leave Azula," said Ty Lee.

"No, but _Azula_ leaves everyone she _fucks_ …over, right?" Mai said, pointedly, not pausing for an answer from the red-faced acrobat. "Either way, she is dangerous along with the avatar. I'm sure Aang has realized this by now," she said, looking to Katara briefly before turning to Zuko. "I haven't forgotten her little warning against the new princess. Have you, Fire Lord?"

Katara clenched her teeth, not liking the woman's tone. Since their arrival back in the Fire Nation. Mai had invited herself into the palace without permission from her fiancée. The fire lord's good heart could not turn away his only child and accepted her mother's rude intrusion. The waterbender felt wary about the ordeal and asked Zuko to watch his back. She reminded the fire lord of Mai's father's ploy to overthrow him and questioned the woman's true motives for suddenly reappearing with the new heir in tow.

"Aang wouldn't allow Azula to harm Izumi, Mai," said Katara, confidently. "You're just paranoid".

Mai shrugged. "Well, don't let me be the downer. Seems you're all too eager to see the father of your children as I was to see mine".

"Ok," Zuko interjected, quickly. "Look, we need to keep my nephew safe at least. Azula and Aang can take care of themselves".

Ty Lee stood on her hands and did push-ups with her feet aimed towards the sky. "Mai and I could go to Hira'a," she offered without a tremble in her voice.

"I don't know, Ty," the fire lord said, shaking his head. "She may not respond to you".

Ty Lee paused mid-push. "Oh, she will definitely respond," she said with a hint of seduction.

Mai rolled her eyes, though the comment flew over water girl and Zuko's heads. "What Ty means is that Azula may need back up with her lost bending".

The statement caught Zuko by surprise. "She's lost her bending?" He repeated, baffled.

"Who knows? Maybe Aang fucked it out of her," Mai sneered, waving him away. "Anyway, when she tried before, it was like…" She looked to her best friend as they both proclaimed.

"POOF!"

Katara felt a ripple of jealousy. It was no secret that she adored her royal fiancée, but Aang had been an unexpected thrill in bed. The reminder that he was probably ravishing the Fire Nation princess into fits of screams beneath him was an image that sparked envious ice in her bones. She turned to her children to keep the adults from noticing her hot cheeks.

"Come on kids, let's get a snack. Fire flakes?"

Mai caught the red of the girl's flushed cheeks before she could turn away, however. _Good, she's still into him._ She noted with a smirk.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Mai? I can have the royal procession accompany you, just in case".

"No thanks, I don't need any new bed mates and Ty Lee exclusively sleeps with bending prodigies". Zuko raised an eyebrow. "We'll be fine, Fire Lord. Just grant us an airship with a small crew to steer. We can handle the rest".

Unexpectedly, the fire lord took her hand. She looked at the bond before meeting his deformed, though gorgeous face. Her heart nearly spilled from her breast as her breathing increased. _What was I thinking giving you up?_ She cursed herself.

"Be careful, Mai," said Zuko, quietly. "For Izumi". _And me._ Mai heard him add in her mind.

Ty Lee looked between the two ex-lovers before flipping upright. "Um, I'm going to pack my…um…stuff. A girl can't have too many provisions, right, Mai? Ya' know, provisions _she_ owns? Her _own_ provisions? Not someone else's? Or those that she _gave_ away".

Mai caught the hint, though she waved her friend off. Ty Lee breathed out dramatically before hurrying to find Katara to stop the madness arising.

"I hope you are happy, Zuko," said Mai softly, removing her hand from his. She was unsure if she really meant it.

Zuko ran his fingers through his lengthy hair. His beard had grown lengthier also and Mai had to turn away from the _only_ beautiful man that her heart bled for. He wasn't hers anymore. That blue-eyed, bending terrorist had him enthralled now.

"I am, Mai, but I have to admit that it is good to see you again".

Mai nodded. "Enjoy your evening, Your Highness," she said, leaving him watching her back as she left for the guest room.

It did not come as a surprise when she heard the door to the guest room's knob twist quietly and the fire lord's burned face slowly appear to check if she was asleep. Mai looked at him from her novel without emotion. Placing the novel on a nearby nightstand, she peeled back her crimson bed sheets to welcome him with her nakedness.

#

"It must be nice to have the world love you," Aang recognized Kei Lo's bitter voice speak though his head was covered with a dark hood with a small hole for his nostrils to take in air.

He could feel the bump of the graveled roads beneath his feet. He grunted in response, thinking of a way to blast open whatever mobilizing vehicle he was in with air from his nose.

"You know since Zuko took the throne from his father, the nation's been in a constant upheaval," continued the man obviously very close to him. "It is ripe, breeding grounds for an all-out revolt. I mean, first he's taking up with a whore from the Southern Water Tribe, then the Crowned Princess whore's around with the woman's air nomad, ex-husband," Aang seethed as Kei Lo chuckled. "At the rate, they're going, The New Ozai Society could overtake the palace by just sitting on the throne. No fighting needed".

Aang shifted in the uncomfortably tight, metal bounds around his wrists. "You idiots still call yourselves, The New Ozai Society? Don't you know where he is?" He hissed.

" _They_ do, I hear," answered Kei Lo readily. "The people blame _you_ for the fire lord's death, you know?"

"Good," said Aang, immediately, silently content with being deemed Ozai's murderer. A large part of him wished the rumor was fact.

"Hmm, can't be good for your reputation, hmm, Avatar?" taunted Kei Lo. "Plus, your face hasn't been seen much since you took up with the war lord that took Ba Sing Se".

Aang reeled at his notion. "What? Azula has paid for her crimes. She was freed by the courts," he spoke.

"Sure, she paid _royally_ …right," grumbled Kei Lo.

Aang heard the sound of feet, leaving rapidly.


	15. Republic City

Under the shroud of night, Azula tiptoed from Ikem's bedroom, clutching a small bag of gold to her chest as she gently shut the door behind her, to avoid awakening the slumbering fifty-year-old. Tucking the bag into her breast band, the princess adjusted her sister's borrowed, short bed-robe and placed an ear against Kiyi's bedroom door. Her younger sibling was definitely asleep at this hour and Azula contemplated just leaving at that very moment and leaving her sweet son with his aunt for his safety. The nagging in her heart would not allow her to part with the creation she created with the avatar, again, however. With a deep breath, Azula slowly twisted the door knob and crept stealthily into the teen's room.

Azula halted, nearly screaming at the sight of a strange woman, at least five years her senior, giving her half-sister, undoubtedly, the best time of her life from where the females were hanging off Kiyi's crimson bed with the sheets covering the floor and part of their heavily, perspiring bodies. Azula purposely shut the door with a low thud, loud enough for the couple to come back to reality and jerk their heads in her direction. The dark-haired, Earth Kingdom woman wiped her lips, looking Azula over as if she were prey while Kiyi's face lost all color immediately.

"Enjoy yourself?" Azula directed at her doe-eyed, little sister, a hint of a smile showing with her arms folded.

 _Oh, Mother would LOVE this!_ She thought, vindictively.

Her replacement was more like her than she was sure Ursa had guessed. She briefly thought of Ty Lee as her half-sister attempted to speak.

"I-I should…ask YOU the same," hissed Kiyi. "Thanks for occupying my dad. I'm sure he paid you well for your services as he does all his weekly whores".

Azula blinked twice, her smile fading instantly. She knew! Immediate shame of her last-ditch effort to coax money from her stingy step-father rose in her unstable stomach. "I did not touch your father," she said quickly.

Well it was the half-truth, at least. The man attempted more than once to take what belonged to the avatar, yet Azula had only allowed his lips access to her body. He was her mother's husband, afterall… She just could not force herself to turn away from that fact, though what happened between them was enough to awaken the dead woman if it were possible.

Ikem's weakness for Ursa was similar to Ozai's in that he was too enthralled by Azula's semblance to her mother to resist indulging himself. She had simply used the man's weakness for her benefit, of course, as she knew the look the moment she met him when her mother was the false Noriko. He had craved his wife's daughter then as he did when she stepped into his little cottage only hours ago. If she were not in a hurry to leave Hira'a for Republic City as fast as her little legs could carry her, she was sure that she could easily drain the poor widower for every cent that he was worth with simply her presence.

Yet, Azula needed to find her fiancé for reason that she would never have fathomed when they were enemies. The air felt different without him somehow. She needed him along with her son.

Azula looked to where Zaheer quietly slept in his crib. He had grown twice his size since she last saw him in the Fire Nation, meaning he would need more food, proper garments and a more stable schedule along with a proper education, all things that she could not afford right now, especially since she would be bedridden in a few months.

"So, this is awkward," remarked the woman with a tattoo on her upper arm and a fashion sense that rivaled Mai's for its bleakness.

Azula met her green eyes and she had to admit that she could understand the attraction Kiyi must have seen in the woman's stout lips, flawless skin and mixed heritage beauty.

"You _do_ know she's thirteen, right?" Azula announced, pleasantly.

The woman immediately pushed away from the under-aged girl she had indulged, adjusting the skull pendant on her topknot, rapidly. "Shit, wow! Ok, I'm out of here," was her answer.

Kiyi stood to her feet. "No! Wait, Jun! I'm not! I'm 16, really!" She screamed after the woman as she tumbled out of the window and made a break for her beast just outside of the home. With a crack of her whip, the woman left a cloud of dust in her wake as she sped away.

Livid, Kiyi turned to face her sister, hands on her bare, newly forming hips. "Azula!" She sneered.

Waving the girl's display away, Azula reached into the crib for her child. "She was too old for you, anyway," said the elder sister. "Now, come on, we have to leave tonight".

Kiyi was about to lavish a wave of curses when she caught the last statement. "What? We?"

"Yes, we," said Azula with a roll of her eyes.

She hated having to repeat herself. "Soon, I will be regurgitating every meal and Zaheer needs a caretaker. I'm going to need your services in Republic City".

Though she felt as though she had just endured her first interview for a job, Kiyi beamed happily.

"Wow! This is great, but wait, my father?"

Azula placed a pacifier into Zaheer's mouth when his eyes slid open to greet her. Cradling him to her neck, she sighed impatiently. "He's going to be out for a while. I'm leaving on Appa tonight".

She stepped over the bedsheets to leave the room.

 _Appa?_ Kiyi shook her head, dismissing the little lie Azula had spoken easily earlier and hurriedly stuffed a duffle bag with her provisions, hurrying out of her room, nearly slamming into the pregnant princess's back when she came to a halt suddenly at the door.

"What is it?" Whispered Kiyi from behind her.

"Hush," commanded Azula, crouching down with Zaheer held close. Kiyi followed suit. "Did you hear that?" Asked the princess.

The younger girl held her breath to listen. It was several moments later when she heard her nephew's loud flatulence followed by silence. Azula looked to the child, holding him away from her chest as if he were an alien. Kiyi could not contain her giggle as she took the baby.

"Weirdo, it's just Mr. Stink-Pot here. He's been gassy lately. Mom once said it's because he's getting bigger".

Holding the baby up, she sniffed his cloth diaper. "Whew! Somebody needs changing badly. It's a wonder he's not screaming the town awake right now".

Noting her sister's silence, Kiyi raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you going to change him?"

Azula looked as if she had seen Ursa's ghost, quickly shaking her head and biting her bottom lip, trying her best to show face in her nervousness.

"Um, I can get his bottles. You do the honor".

Kiyi gave her a pout as Azula hurriedly scampered away to the ice chest to retrieve the remaining bottles of milk. The young mother was human after all and her little sister realized it at that very moment. Ursa's last words to her played in her head.

 _"She was my daughter, Kiyi, like you"._

The teenager suddenly understood why their worlds continued to collide unintentionally. She doubted the prudent princess would ever admit it, but Azula needed Kiyi more than she realized. Being a so-called peasant had forced Kiyi and her mother's close relationship. Unlike Azula, she had learned how to take care of herself. She was very sure that the princess had probably never wiped her own rear, let alone touch a child's when there were nurses and servants all around the Fire Lord Zuko's palace to do it for her.

She waited until Azula was done packing the food for their travels before beginning.

"What are you waiting for? He stinks!" Snapped Azula when she returned from the kitchen.

"He's yours and there are no servants here or where we're going so you gotta learn. Plus, you will have another in a few months, so what then?"

Azula sighed dramatically, taking a seat on a pillow around the dining table with her arms folded, though she kept her gaze on her sister and Zaheer.

"I know the basics," said the princess, stubbornly. "It has just been awhile since I've had the…opportunity".

Kiyi sat on her heels next to the princess. A part of her wanted to ask why she had left Zaheer with Katara and Aang. She, of course, had learned some of the mystery behind her nephew's birth from the waterbender, whom she had grown to have a love/hate relationship with. The woman was so stuck in her water tribe ways sometimes and could be just as stubborn as her big sister, but there was a maternal way about her that drew the younger firebender. They would talk about the ways of the water tribe and how different it was from the fire nation along with her adventures saving the world with Zaheer's father.

"Were you afraid to be a mom?" Kiyi suddenly asked, removing the child's soiled diaper. Of course, the princess did not answer, so she continued her work. "Ok, well, it's a cloth diaper so it can be reused, but we'll just toss this one because we have plenty for now, here," with that she tossed the diaper at her sister without looking and added. "Take care of that for me. So, next you wipe him off. Hey, think you can heat up some water…."

Kiyi paused, looking up to find that she was talking to herself. Zaheer's hand discovered his member as he whined loudly. Seconds after she removed the child's hand, and used a towel to wipe it, she heard violent retching just outside of the slightly ajar door, followed by Azula returning, one hand over her mouth.

"Are you done being dramatic?" Teased Kiyi, secretly crying with laughter at the sad excuse for a new mother.

Azula shook her head, running back outside. Kiyi sighed loudly. At this rate, they may as well pack her father's things as well.

"Stop that!" She hissed at Zaheer, removing his curious hand again. "You should have learned from your mother to leave that alone".

The baby moved his mouth as if attempting to speak back. Kiyi gave him a smile and kisses on his chubby cheeks. "Oh, you're such a cute, wittle, avatar, baby," she cooed, blowing into his belly, softly. "Even if your mom sucks".

"Kiyi," The baritone voice made her shoulders shake.

Turning to see her father's disapproving face, the door opened in time for Azula to emerge pausing in the doorway. The three of them looked between the other in an awkward moment of silence.

"Y-You promised to leave," announced Ikem, shakily, suddenly unable to hold his stare with either of the women in his home.

Azula glanced at her little sister. "Finish with that, Kiyi," she ordered passively. "Your father and I need to discuss our new arrangements". She said without a hint to her inner thoughts as she closed the gap between herself and her stepfather, grasping his shoulder with one hand, caressing his arm before turning him around wordlessly.

The two disappeared down the hallway. Kiyi hurriedly heated a pot of water and cleaned Zaheer, ignoring the muffled moans and soft knocks along the wall echoing from down the hall. Picking up her nephew, she exited to the porch and sat down on the steps of her childhood home. The moon was full overhead, stars shining brilliantly, illuminating the quiet, boring village that she had known all her life.

She wondered what adventures awaited her, Azula and Zaheer in Republic City as well as what happened between the princess and the avatar. Azula was such a mystery to her half-sister. She had heard stories of her being a prodigal firebender, she had seen her thrust lightning and intense blue fire with the cold precision of her presence. It was not until after her sister had kidnapped her that she had her first conversation with the woman.

 _All of the children were asleep in the Kemurikage's secret, cramped hide out. All except the fire lord's youngest sister. Kiyi kept her eyes open for any opportunity to escape. She had tried numerous times to replicate her brother's fire forms to no avail. Yet, she was determined to find a way out. No way was she going to let these mean women keep her locked away when her big brother was the amazing fire lord._

 _The sound of the door opening made Kiyi pull the covers from over her head. She looked to where a single woman, dressed in the black gowns stood, a blue flame in hand, making her face seem very, very scary. Kiyi tried not to shake as the woman neared her bottom bunk, absent of her mask. She recognized her from Hira'a._

 _"You-You're that…" she began when the blue light flickered away and she was seized with a soft, hot hand against her mouth and an arm around her small body._

 _Squirming, Kiyi tried to scream someone, anyone awake, but was lifted out of the room and taken to another room before being shoved onto a wooden stool with a table. Kiyi lifted her tiny fists as the woman hovered over her. Surprisingly a little doll was thrust into her lap._

 _"Huh?" She asked, suddenly recognizing her most prized possession stolen from her when she was kidnapped. "How? How did you get this?" She asked, squeezing the doll to gather her courage as she looked the woman directly in the eye._

 _"Do you like it?" Asked the woman. "You like it, don't you? Along with fairy tales and stories of being a princess, yes?"_

 _Kiyi bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "Y-Yes"._

 _"Do you know who I am?"_

 _The girl nodded. "You're that lady. The fire lord's sister…my sister, Princess Azula?"_

 _A snarl crossed Azula's lips as she looked the child before her over. Taking a seat on the edge of the table within arm's reach, Azula finally spoke after the uncomfortable stare-down._

 _"She loves you, you know?"_

 _"Who?" Asked Kiyi._

 _"That woman who tucks you in bed at night, kisses your forehead, gave you that doll. You were the little girl she always wanted"._

 _Kiyi's bottom lip trembled. The woman who did that did not look like her mom anymore, instead, she looked like this woman. "She's not my mother," Kiyi said bitterly. "Her face"._

 _"A mask, Darling. We girls wear them all the time whether it be paint, a smile or a physical one," said the princess, pointing to the gray mask she had donned, now lying on the wooden table in front of her. "The mask she wore for you that grins and lies. Without the mask, you would have seen who she really was and why on earth would she show you that when you would react like this? You were made to replace me after all"._

 _Kiyi felt confused. Her mother's face change had scarred her, she was afraid of that woman now, she was not her warm, sweet mom anymore. She jumped at shadows on the walls, cried constantly and hovered over her like at flying hog-monkey. She did not know how to react to this new woman._

 _"Well, if it was just a mask, does that mean she was never my mom?" Asked the child innocently._

 _Azula looked as if she were confused by the question. Opening her mouth and closing it, she tapped her chin in thought. "She will always be your mother. No matter what mask she wears…" Pausing, she stood. "Listen, I need to know if you can bend?"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Can you firebend, Child? It's not a difficult question even for a peasant"._

 _Kiyi shook her head. "The fire lord tried to teach me," she admitted._

 _"Hmph, Zuzu teaching anyone to firebend would make me lose my dinner. Ok, show me what you have learned from Zuzu"._

 _Kiyi placed the doll on the table and stood on shaky knees as her half-sister watched, arms crossed, smirking at her stance. "Well?" She urged her on._

 _Taking a deep breath, Kiyi punched, hurling her fist towards Azula's face, surprisingly a tiny flame caught the woman's shoulder, at which she snubbed with a flicker of her middle finger as if it were dust and rolled her eyes._

 _"Hmph," commented Azula, rising to her feet. "Too bad, that could've been your way out. Unfortunately, you had a weak teacher"._

 _"Can you show me!" Piped Kiyi quickly. "Please? How did you do that at my home? Your fire was BLUE!"_

 _"That was nothing". Her smirk widening, Azula made a formation, suddenly charring the steel door with lightning. "I can do way more than that, Darling"._

 _"Whoa!" Gasped Kiyi, not sure whether to be deathly afraid or excited. "I want to!"_

 _Azula shrugged. "You'll never be able to. You're afraid to throw a punch, let alone, create the heavens in your hands"._

 _The remark set the little girl off. With a stamp of her foot, she hissed, "I'm NOT scared!"_

 _"Face our mother, first, conquer your fears, then we'll talk"._

"I don't carry luggage, Darling," came the smooth voice of her older sister from behind. Kiyi watched her walk past, stepping down from the porch, stretching as if she were preparing for a midnight stroll. "The bison is hidden amongst the trees on the outskirts of the town. Give me him," she directed, reaching for Zaheer.

"Did you wash your hands, at least?" Hissed Kiyi, vindictively.

Azula's eyes flashed a wave of emotions before returning a cold, piercing gaze making the girl modify her meaning. "Ya' know, after you threw out Zaheer's diaper? It's ok if you threw it out, remember? We have enough to last until we get to Republic City".

The princess did not answer, yet did not reach for her son again. Instead she picked up Kiyi's duffle bag and Zaheer's bag of extra provisions and turned to lead the way to Appa.

#

Ty Lee felt like a sore pinky toe as she watched Katara run back and forth, throwing hers and Aang's children's clothing into two bags. Ty Lee watched as the woman huffed in frustration before sitting on the fire lord's massive bed next to the acrobat, mumbling curses under her breath with tears forming in her eyes.

"So?" Katara suddenly asked, eyes red and livid, flashing at the acrobat.

The girl had been caught wondering how a pretty woman like Zuko's "almost" new wife could live with so…few...provisions, no make-up, hair products.

"So…I guess, we're leaving tonight?" Asked Ty Lee, sweetly.

"Ugh!" Groaned Katara. "You're really an idiot, you know that? I mean, I swear if I didn't have to deal with the only dumb…" Her voice trailed as Ty Lee's signature smile faltered.

Katara rubbed her shoulder, instinctively, remembering the girl's skilled fingers in that moment. Taking a deep breath, she started over, taking a seat on the floor in the middle of hers and her children's clothing strewn about the red carpet.

"I'm sorry," she began, closing her eyes. "It's just that Zuko knows what I went through with his sister and Aang. I mean, I was there when she had Zaheer. I was their midwife, Ty Lee! Do you know how that felt? To watch the person you love give the same looks you thought belonged only to you to someone else?"

The news shocked the acrobat. She knew very little of Azula and Aang's past together. It was just like…poof suddenly the woman she had loved for years was in love with someone else. Ty lee had felt angry, used and abandoned, but no one seemed to understand before. She began to see the water tribe woman with unclouded eyes. It had to be difficult for the mother of three.

Ty Lee had felt horrible for being the one to cause Katara more pain. Mai had cleverly made sure to make enough noise to prevent entry into her guestroom and it had not been difficult to discern the fire lord's low moans of passion mixed in with Izumi's mother's dramatically, fake screams. Leaving her perch atop the bed, Ty Lee hurried to wrap her arms around the sobbing woman's shaking shoulders.

One heartbreak was enough to last a lifetime, but this poor woman had suffered two in one lifetime. The acrobat could not fathom her pain.

"I wish," said Katara, clutching Ty Lee's arm for support. "I wish…"

"Shh..." comforted Ty Lee, squeezing her tighter.

She knew the feeling of emptiness too well. Having to face the world alone after your life had been consumed by another person. Azula had selfishly taken her away from her calling, selfishly made her fall madly in love during their travels only to leave her dying to rekindle a lost love of over a thousand breaths before tossing her away for another.

"What do I do, Ty Lee?" Whispered Katara. "I have three children with Aang and he just left me. Mai had one and Zuko runs to her like a father should, I can't blame him. What would you do?"

Ty Lee's eyes widened from behind Katara's back. "Y-You are crying for Aang?" She asked to be sure.

"I miss him so much. Zuko treated me wonderful, but I only chose him after…"

The news sparked ideas in Ty Lee's mind. Waves of thoughts swam like turtleducks when she finally asked, "If…If I knew where Aang was," she paused, letting the woman go. She looked her directly in the eyes to access her aura and learn if she could be trusted before continuing. "If I took you to Aang, would you take him back? Even if Azula is there? Would you fight for what is yours?"

Katara wiped her face with her arm and sniffled. "Spirits, I would," she answered, breathlessly. "I'm not afraid of Azula. I've dealt with her before. Her arrogance is her downfall. She's a walking time-bomb and I don't want her to hurt Aang".

Ty Lee appreciated her honesty and hid a smile, standing she searched the room for loose papers and a writing utensil. Katara slowly started packing again while the acrobat wrote words on a scroll from Zuko's desk. Hastily, she called for a guard outside of the fire lord's bedroom.

"Make sure this gets to Republic City, immediately. Don't tell anyone," she ordered.

The Kyoshi Warrior nodded and hurried away. Ty Lee shut the door behind her, donning a pleasant smile that confused the waterbender, she spoke brightly. "Come, let's get you packed. We need to leave tonight. It's going to be at least a day's ride by airship".

Katara cocked an eyebrow.

"Smile," offered Ty Lee. "You will walk through life easier with a smile on your face, My Friend. Now go get what's yours".

#

The thin air in his nostrils was the only evidence Aang could use to judge the time of day. Barely two days had passed since he was taken from his princess and held prisoner by the unlikely team of Kei Lo and Long Feng. His patience was rapidly dwindling as they continued moving towards wherever they were going. Few stops had been made along the route and when asked about the captured man by border patrols, either Kei Lo or Long Feng would simply answer, "A bounty for King Kuei," allowing them to pass without further questioning.

Now, however, the avatar felt his opportunity approaching. The movement beneath his feet was ceasing and the door opening. When his mask was removed, he found that he had guessed correctly that it was well into the night, recognizing his surroundings almost immediately under the full, bright moon. He and the fire lord along with earth king Kuei had worked tirelessly to build the city around him. It was to be the symbol of hope, the city on a hill.

"Republic City," he gasped.

He had not returned to see the new infrastructure, but from the looks of things, the city was slowly thriving with its cobblestoned streets and new, towering buildings. It made Fire Lord Zuko's Caldera seem antiquated with its modernism.

 _Perhaps when this is over, Azula and I could stay here for a while._ He thought, trying to keep his optimism.

He thought on the princess and her whereabouts. At the very least she had Appa, but he worried for her and his son constantly. People would recognize her immediately as the conqueror of Ba Sing Se or the killer of the avatar etc. Yes, the courts had forgiven her thanks to the avatar's support, but the world was obviously not ready to do so.

"Let's go, Avatar," Kei Lo's voice called, low and dangerous, pulling on his platinum handcuffs. "No funny bending business while we're laying over here. Believe me you're safer with us," he warned.

Avatar Aang understood his meaning. Along with the innocent that sought the opportunity to rebuild in this city of hope and dreams, there was an uglier, darker and fast growing side to the this place that was slowly establishing itself in the bowels of the city. Criminal masterminds sought to gain as well, a fact that had been brought to the highly-esteemed council of nations numerous times. Due to his budding romance with the princess, Aang had ignored the calls for assistance for some time leaving the criminals to further expand their extorting, illegal empires.

Kei Lo guided the avatar to a lavish nightclub in the upper echelons of the city where patrons were enjoying a festive night of enumerated dancing and gambling. The men did not enter through the packed front of the club, however. Long Feng carefully directed them to a side door that led to a series of steps.

At the bottom of the staircase, Aang glanced around at several men gathered around a round table playing Pai Sho. There were men dressed in dark, elaborate suits, with hats or fancy hair styles along with long, fancy cigars and cups of various spirits, standing in front of a glass mirror that overlooked a rustic arena where two earthbenders looking to destroy one another below.

The brawl inciting the underground crowd, reminded him of his first encounter with the Blind Bandit, Toph Beifong, bringing a warm sensation in his chest at the memory. Toph had been made police chief in the city, perhaps he could…

"Any wagers, Avatar?"

Aang turned to see a Northern Water Tribesman, seated at the head of the Pai Sho table with a water tribe woman on his knee and fire nation woman holding a drink for him. The stranger smiled deviously.

"It is good to finally meet you. The name's Yakone. Welcome to my world, _Savior_ ".


	16. Heat

"Your world huh?" Taunted Avatar Aang, calmly to the criminal kingpin who introduced himself as Yakone.

"Yes, my lovely city. Perhaps, Long Feng and Kei Lo could give you a tour tomorrow," he offered, giving the woman on his knee a gentle pat on the hip to signal for her to rise. Once she moved, so did he in a slow manner.

Another woman helped him into his suit's jacket, placing a cigar between his lips and a hat upon his head with a dark blue feather and bearing the symbol of the Northern Water Tribe with a triton in the middle.

 _Death by Blood Gang._ Aang recognized the symbol readily. The gang was known for their bloodbending techniques, now outlawed, thanks to passionate support from his ex-wife and her brother, newly appointed councilman of Republic City, Sokka. The gang sought refuge in Republic City and with its terrifying tactics, managed to avoid the city's police for the past several years.

"With their avatar missing in action, the citizens, here, have sought other means of protection". Yakone was saying to other men in the room as he blew smoke towards Aang passively from where he now stood by the mirrored window overlooking the arena of fighters below. "Though, the fire lord seems to be a bit of a nuisance, now. Sticking his nose in business that doesn't concern him along with his traitor whore".

Aang clenched his teeth together at the insult, gathering the sudden attention of all the men in the room as they encircled him, each taking a waterbending stance.

"Ah, I've struck a nerve, it seems," remarked Yakone, the sinister smirk seemingly permanent on his face. "What would the Fire Lord's sister think, I wonder?" He asked, tapping his chin. "Her lover still secretly in love with his ex?"

Chuckling the smoke from the plethora of cigars stifled the room as he continued, inching close enough to speak just to the avatar in his ear, he added. "I can understand why you would leave your little angel. I bet it's heavenly to get lost in the conqueror, hmm, Avatar? I'm sure her silver tongue is just a marvel. Drinks the life right of you, I'm sure. Inspirational and terrifying according to some old Dai Li agents. Crazy in the head has to be crazy in bed with the way she has made you forget your duties to the world".

Aang breathed outwardly, trying to keep his composure. "I can't wait to have her bent over my dining table. I'll allow her to call me your name, of course, as I fuck the lightning out of her when she comes looking for you…That is if the virus doesn't kill her first. That would be quite unfortunate".

The last statement made Aang pause from striking the kingpin. "Virus?"

"I wasn't expecting your rodent to react so soon with the small dosage given to him while you were busy procreating new airbenders and all".

Aang's eyes bulged. "Momo? W-What did you do? Speak plain!" He demanded.

"Just a bit of the crazy virus, called rabies that's been affecting the animals in the earth kingdom's forests, for your crazy princess. A thank-you intended for the fire lord and all those around him. Who would've thought she was getting split open by the avatar? Kills two birds with one stone".

Aang roared a gust of air, but was stopped instantly by Yakone's wide-eyed gaze. Twisting uncontrollably, Aang gave an agonizing cry. His back gave way, cracking from his awkward position. Yakone's smirk widened as he was twisted more, allowing for Long Feng to re-bond him with the hood and Kei Lo to re-bond his wrists and ankles in shackles.

#

"We're here," stated Princess Azula, bringing Appa to a slow descent at the front of a shady looking hostel in the slums of Republic City.

Kiyi rubbed her sleepy eyes and blinked, surveying the surroundings. "I'm scared, Azula. Don't you have friends or something in the high-class parts around here?"

Azula huffed, climbing down from Appa and giving him a bamboo branch to snack on. She grabbed their luggage as Kiyi picked up Zaheer. "I have _something_ like friends, but they live around here," she informed her sister. "Don't drop him!" She growled as Kiyi used one hand to hop off of the giant bison.

"Oh stop, Azula, he's fine. He's a big boy now, aren't you, Avatar Baby?" She cooed tickling the child.

"His name is fine. Please call him by it," scoffed Azula. Kiyi pouted and placed Zaheer on the ground, at which Azula immediately swept him up.

"He can walk, ya' know. He will also need more than milk for food," pointed out the teenager.

"Let me worry about him. You need to be in school," said Azula waving down a nearby pedestrian. "You there, the nearest academy, where is it?"

The pedestrian, a man with a cart of cabbages, smiled brightly. "Not far. It is private and costly. But they accept students daily. Want to buy some cabbages?"

"Piss off, Peasant," sneered Azula making her half-sister groan loudly.

Azula entered the hostel without another word. The man began to hurry away when Kiyi stopped him. "She's just bitter and knocked up. Here," she said with a warm smile, giving the man a gold coin and took a cabbage.

The man thanked her and happily skipped on, yelling out "CABBAGES FOR SALE!"

Taking off behind her sister, Kiyi waited on a nearby bench as Azula negotiated prices with the attendant at the front desk.

"This is ridiculous! I am asking for a semi-permanent home! Do you know who I am?" Her sister was growling at the unconcerned woman behind the desk.

"A pregnant woman without a husband, we get those a lot," she snapped calmly, without looking up.

"You're wrong," replied Azula. "A pregnant woman recently released from the nuthouse after eating my husband's heart to break my fast".

This caught the woman's attention quickly. "Um, I'm-I'm sorry, we can't help your kind here. Maybe you could try the women's shelter?"

Kiyi stood to catch her sister before she did something horrible when a woman she recognized from Azula's old Kemurikage buddies, revealed herself from a closed door behind the front desk clerk.

"Good one, Old Friend," chuckled the woman with braids.

"Zirin, I assume my boarding is available?" Asked the princess, glaring at the clerk who excused herself to the restroom.

Zirin took her place, leaning over the desk. "You're always welcomed here. Free of charge, unfortunately not. I _do_ have a business to run".

Azula bared her teeth, leaning in to almost touch noses with the woman. "Any business owned by _you_ is mine as I _own_ you, remember? Or you would still be screaming for the family you murdered in the bowels of that mental institution, hmm?"

Zirin shrugged. "Cute kid," she commented at which Zaheer smiled sweetly at the woman. "Ok, since he is so polite. I guess, you're welcomed here as a favor for a favor. But you're going to need a job, Princess".

"I don't work. That's for peasants, I commanded armies".

"I wouldn't say that too loud, _Princess_. The people don't take kindly to royalty around here. Plus, you're obviously not in much condition to work hard," she said, noting Azula's protruding abdomen. "I have a friend who can help you. Give me a sec".

Azula took a seat by her sister to await whomever Zirin went to fetch. "See, we'll be fine. Now to get you into school".

"I'm almost an adult," refused Kiyi, her arms crossed. "Besides, I can take care of Zaheer or work to get us money".

Azula shook her head. "Mother would want you to finish school".

"Since when did you care what Mom wanted? After you slept with her husband? Would she want that?" Asked Kiyi, still reeling from Azula's low move for money that she knew she could have gotten from her father if she had been invited on the trip at the beginning.

"Let it go, Kiyi. Your father's a pervert, something we have in common. At least your father didn't…" Her voice trailed and Kiyi wanted to ask what she was going to say when the door opened revealing a handsome, blue eyed man with Zirin, a pleasant smile across his lips.

Azula gave the baby to Kiyi and approached the two as they stepped in front of the front desk.

"Why I never would have thought I'd have the honor to meet the princess of the fire nation," said the man bending over to kiss the woman's hand. "It is quite an honor, Princess Azula. What is such a legend doing in these rough parts of the city? Such a goddess should be communing with Republic City's finest".

Azula smirked. The man obviously had manners despite being Water Tribe. "My business is my own," she answered. "Just a bit of a hiatus vacation with my sister. She needed a change from her lowly village".

The man nodded. "Of course, well, please allow me the honor to invite you to my apartments. It is more agreeable than this pit for rats my sister owns".

Zirin sucked in her teeth. "Yakone's my half-brother," she revealed. "Though his apartments are very nice and more of your style, Princess".

 _Hmm._ Thought the princess. "Well, I am looking to enroll my sister into one of the institutions of learning, here. A private one, preferably. Your assistance is needed in that regard as well".

"Of course, anything for the woman who helped my sister out. The allegations against her were ridiculous. I can't thank you enough for your help," he said with another kiss on the woman's hand. "May a man of my status be allowed a dinner with you, Your Highness?"

Flattered, though reserved, Azula shook her head. "No thanks, just the accommodations are necessary".

Yakone's eyes narrowed, making Azula narrow her own as he looked as though he were going to strike at her. After seconds of intense stare downs, the man bowed low.

"Of course, Princess, let me lead you the way," he finally said, sweetly. "Time is precious, don't you think? And I'd hate to waste yours as it is just as precious as your little boy's smile".


	17. Spooning

**Thank Amy Winehouse for the burst of inspiration that spurred this super late update as my break draws to a close, sadly. Done for the night.**

Morning rays seeping between the deep, red draperies of Azula's old bedroom, serving as Mai's guestroom, made the fire lord hop nearly twenty feet into the air from his blissful sleep curled behind the mother of his daughter's form in a panic.

"Shit, Mai, shit!" He sputtered, looking about for his uniform pants and tunic. Mai growled like the morning person she was not, batting at him with a careless wave of her dark-painted hands.

"Tell her your uncle came by or something," she groaned, rising finally unto her palms, her hair making her look like a complete stranger as it hung in a matted mess over her bare, pale shoulders, now slightly purple from their passionate, unintended, make-up sex the night before.

"Yeah, yeah, that'll work," said Zuko, his mind awhirl. "She trusts me," he assured himself with a relieved sigh. Placing his tunic over his head, he pulled down slowly to cover his abdominals under his ex's lustful gaze and careful lick of her paint-less lips.

He shivered as he remembered those same lips worshipping him at least twice in their impromptu session. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Zuko slipped on his bedroom shoes he normally wore during his nightly walks around the palace to clear his mind.

"That can't happen again," he said as serious as he could muster, given the woman's eyes stopping at his morning wake-up call.

"As you wish, My Lord," cooed Mai, inching closer in a seductive crawl towards the edge of the crimson bed. "Too bad Katara gets to have you so well rested and…" She glanced down and back up. "Ready".

Zuko tugged at his pants and his mind switched to lustful thoughts of having both women pawing for the opportunity to worship the most powerful man in the Fire Nation. Though he was positive Mai would agree to the idea, he knew better than to present it to Katara.

 _At least not now…_ He told himself. _Maybe after our wedding._

Despite her experience, the mother of three had been adamant, since they began their relationship through shared heartbreak and loneliness, about the 'marry me, first,' rule to the fire lord's disgruntlement. His dominant fist was much stronger nowadays, making his bursts of flames speak for him during interrogations or possible threats to his throne.

 _Zaheer._ Thought Zuko on his sister, the avatar's child and the family's imminent return to lay claims to a throne that he was willing to lay down his life to make sure carried on to Izumi.

As he thought on the matter, Katara was pushed from his mind as Mai's lips pulled at him hungrily. His stronger, dominant hand found the back of her head as his hips moved along with her lips, knees making the bed sheets shake lightly as he gave gentle thrusts.

 _Everything can wait._ He concluded. _Besides, Aang can convince Azula in his own way for a while at least._ Hissing, the fire lord growled aloud, his head falling backwards in awe of his ex's attention to his need, making him briefly wonder whom else she had serviced this way.

 _Eh, doesn't matter. Our daughter will be the next fire lord, one day._ The thought brought a pleasant grin to his face, at which Mai took as affirmation to pull him back between the sheets to pick up where they left off the night before.

#

"Agni, yes! Yes!" Squealed the lovely fire nation woman in pure bliss beneath her lover's form.

She writhed in the chains binding her wrists to the iron headboard as she kept her hips from collapsing, straining to remain upright on her knees.

"Say it!" Commanded her powerful lover into her neck. "Say it!" He demanded with increased ferocity and equally strong thrusts of his hips. "What is my name?"

The beauty panted, her tresses slapping his face as their hips connected. "Savior! Yes, Savior".

Yakone grinned, smugly as he released, letting the woman milk him completely before shoving her head against the mattress and away before she could even think of meeting his lips. He placed his hands on his hips, willing his mind to think of anything other than Princess Azula's intoxicating form. The Fire Nation woman under him was a necessary replacement, though she could not hold a match to her former comrade. The princess was everything a man could want in a woman. Yakone understood why Avatar Aang had been absent for so long, the instant his eyes landed on the beauty in Zirin's hostel business.

"A little help here, _Savior_ ," groaned the business owner, stretched on the bed in one of the rooms.

Yakone shook his head, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "Sorry, _Half-Sister,_ " he teased, releasing the handcuffs from around the woman's wrists.

Zirin lit his leftover cigar on the nightstand and took a puff. "I'm surprised she fell for it. Works more in your favor than _The Man I'm Fucking to Pay for Protection Money_ ," She pointed out. "Azula wouldn't care either way, but just to be on the safe side".

"A good call," agreed Yakone, taking the cigar when she passed it back. "Especially given that twit, Kei Lo's near fuck up earlier".

#

"He gets it from his father".

The comment caught Yakone's sensitive ears as he flagged down a nearby moose-horse drawn taxi. "Is it true what I've heard of the avatar being the lucky man to have you?" He asked after helping the princess into the carriage along with her sister. The taxi's driver loaded their luggage atop the carriage.

"Follow us, Appa!" Yelled out the teenager to the avatar's bison just outside the doors of the building.

Yakone smoothly passed a note with the address to the driver along with a jerk of his head to signal Zirin about the bison as she waved the party off. The woman he was escorting did not miss it, however, as the first thing she said to him when the carriage rolled away from the hostel was, "I'm sure you see the truth of the matter in that giant, smelly bison".

Biting his bottom lip, Yakone knew he had to have the woman in that instant. _Such a prize._ He marveled, eying her round breasts peeking slightly from her low cut, black tunic. His eyes trailed past the pudge of her belly to slightly tanned legs, naked from where her knees were overlapping, fully visible from the bottom of her red skirt. _We could be unstoppable, indeed. The world only needs_ ONE _king, Avatar. Soon I will have your title and your queen. You will be just a memory, soon._

"What do you mean, date girls my age? You're not my mother, Azula". Piped the teenager seated between them.

"Thank Agni," said the princess, placing a hand on her stomach.

"Are you feeling well?" Asked Yakone with a concerned look as he leaned over the girl.

"She's fine," snapped the princess's little sister, shooting him a glare. "Can you move before you suffocate my nephew?" She added, holding the avatar's son to her chest.

"She kicked," whispered Azula, her eyes glistening as if she were about to burst into tears. "My baby…she kicked".

Yakone clenched his teeth as the teenager squealed, making the toddler in her arms dance on her legs. The child blew a spit bubble.

"You heard that, Zaheer? Your sister's kicking your mommy's ass!" She exclaimed.

"Ash!" Squealed the child, blowing another spit bubble along with a loud flatulence.

Azula's head jerked up from staring at her stomach. "Shut the fu-, hush, Kiyi. My prince will not be exposed to such peasant language".

Kiyi rolled her eyes when Azula wrenched her child away. "Please, tell me this place has at least two bedrooms. I can only stomach her for like an hour," she said to Yakone, who grinned, sheepishly.

"It is one of the largest rooms available. A woman like your sister deserves the best Republic City can offer," he answered, adding a toothy smile when he locked eyes for breathtaking seconds with the woman holding her child to her heart before she looked away and out of the carriage's window.

"Psst…" called Kiyi, nudging the Water Tribesman with her elbow. "I hope you don't do this type of thing for _all_ the women you want to fuck because she only fucks rich men, six foot two or taller, sorry, Buddy".

Yakone cleared his throat as the princess's golden gaze blazed back at her younger sibling, her lips curling, followed by cheeks flushing deep red with embarrassment.

"Duck!" Piped Zaheer.

"That's it! Driver! Take us to the academy, NOW!" Shouted the princess, making Kiyi's jaw drop as she stuttered, "B-But-"

"Hush, Ingrate, before I send a message to Hira'a," hissed Azula, silencing the girl instantly.

"Ahem," began Yakone. "I apologize if I give such a…perception, though I do find you very attractive, Princess Azula. I guess I have a weakness for royalty".

"Keep your _weakness_ in your pants and we'll get along, just fine," she retorted. "I'm engaged and pregnant with my second child by a god. You could never compete". Scoffing, she pulled out a lukewarm bottle of milk.

Yakone noticed that she did not warm the bottle before giving it to the now whining child.

"Right…" He responded, counting to thirty in his mind. "Well, I'd be a fool to try to compete with the world's savior. Especially when he has a princess _and_ the only female waterbending master pining for him".

The comment elicited the response he expected when the princess's lips tightened.

"You know, I never could understand why he would settle for one woman when there are plenty in this city available to him," continued the Water Tribesman giving a careless shrug. "Besides, isn't he solely in charge of the repopulation of the Air Nation?"

The princess did not answer, instead, she waited for Yakone to take Kiyi to be enrolled in Republic City's private, Chilaza Junior and Senior Academy for Girls and return before flashing a shuriken within inches of the bloodbender's face when he shut the door to the carriage.

"My patience is one of my _top_ qualities, Peasant," she informed him, cradling her child to her neck. "Along with _endless_ other horrible things I could do to you should you even think about speaking to me that way again"'.

"Funny," sneered Yakone. "The firebending prodigy using a dull knife instead of her signature…" His voice trailed, eyes widening as he spotted Kei Lo dragging the avatar's limp body into a covered carriage in broad daylight!

Before the princess could jerk her head to see what had halted him, he placed a thumb against the middle of her forehead, making her nearly drop her child as she froze with a soft, choking gasp of surprise. He signaled to the taxi driver to take off with a quick nod before letting her go.

"W-What did you do to me?" Groaned the woman.

Yakone took the child from her arms. "See for yourself. Call it a generous gesture from a peasant. Show me your flame, Prodigy".

Azula looked to her two, overgrown nails, jumping in almost fright as a small, azure flame emerged from them.

"H-How?" She gasped staring at Yakone in what seemed to be admiration or perhaps a hint of fear.

"You're welcome. I'm sure it's nothing compared to your…avatar, but I have a few surprises, myself," remarked Yakone, smirking at Azula's awed expression.

#

Zirin quickly dressed along with Yakone at a knock on the door. The two entered the common room where the bloodbender took a seat on the couch with his cigar while his "half-sister" answered the caller at the door. Long Feng greeted both with a calm bow, gesturing for Kei Lo to bring in the prisoner.

"So…?" Asked Yakone, kicking the limp man when he was thrown to the floor.

"He's done for today," stated Long Feng. "As I suspected, his mind is a tough one to crack despite his wavering morals".

"Hmm…of course. Maybe we should let him see his princess".

Zirin huffed. "The bitch is weak for him. She would murder all of us without a thought. Better off letting him see his ex-wife," she suggested, removing the man's mask to reveal his face.

Avatar Aang groaned, his eyes rolling backwards as though he were heavily enumerated.

"I would suggest waiting until after I'm done with him. I am most affective in Lake Laogi. He can retain the memories we want him to retain while likewise take care of any business we ask of him".

Kei Lo nodded at the plan. "Good, I'm ready for my end of the deal. I want the fire lord dead by his hand!" He yelled like an idiot.

"Do you think I am bothered by your wants, Boy?" Asked Yakone, smoothly puffing his cigar, not bothering to meet the young man's eyes.

"Huh?" Asked Kei Lo.

"It has been a pleasure working with you," added Long Feng outstretching his hand.

Instead of shaking hands, Kei Lo fumbled reaching for the sword on his hip when his body twisted unnaturally, making him fall to his knees in pure agony as he felt his bones turn inward. The man was instantly immobile, though his bowels released on their own when his last sights were of orange, inferno-level flames from Zirin's fist towards his face.

Yakone bent the leftover bourbon on the nearby island in the kitchen to douse the flames when Kei Lo's bloodcurling screams ceased.

"Send a message to the fire lord," he ordered, smoothly. "Along with Chief Beifong and the councilman, who's been giving her his boomerang while his woman's in the Fire Nation".

Zirin nodded, leaving to prepare the message. Turning his attention back to the world's savior, Yakone added, "Make sure The Avatar lives through your little experiment. I want him to bear witness when I take over his position as Republic City's true savior and destroy _everything_ he loves in the process".

#

The Fire Lord was enjoying his daughter in the palace gardens while Mai observed from beneath the shade tree. The two tumbled in the grass to Izumi's delight as Zuko tried to forget about the heartbreaking letter left by his fiancée upon her sudden departure.

 _Maybe it's for the best._ He told himself.

"Daddy! You're the best!" Giggled Izumi, happily as she roared a small flame as they played, "Dancing Dragons".

Zuko gave her a soft smile, before noticing Suki, dressed in her Kyoshi Warrior garbs with a decorative box in her hands and a look of concern.

"What is it?" Asked the fire lord, standing and meeting her half-way.

"A messenger hawk brought this," said the warrior, grimly.

Though he noted the disgusted look she shot him and Mai, Zuko focused on the gift, slowly opening it, gasping at a charred head detached from its body, one eye wide, while the other was missing, with a note inside its agape mouth.

 _"The last of The New Ozai Society. You're welcome, Fire Lord"._

 _Sincerely, Avatar Aang and Princess Azula_

"Kei Lo!" Gasped Mai, whom he had not notice suddenly appearing by his side.

Replacing the top to the box, Zuko scratched his head, confused.

"Aang wouldn't do that. Someone's playing a cruel game," spoke Suki.

"But Azula would," said Mai, reading the fire lord's thoughts. "This is too far," hissed the knife-wielder beginning to storm away.

"Mai…" began Zuko.

"No, Zuko, No! I don't give a flying FUCK about her being your little sister! I'm going to KILL her and ship that monster's whole body to you in easy to assemble parts so you can burn her until she reaches her father's lap in Agni's Hell!"

"Mai, if you touch my sister, I'll…" Zuko caught himself when he noted Izumi staring between her angry parents in surprise and fear.

"I'll contact Ty Lee," said Suki, attempting to settle the situation. "She's been tailing Kei Lo for a while, maybe she can get to the bottom of this".

"Good idea, Azula wouldn't hurt her". Said Mai nodding through her tears as Zuko gave his affirmation.

His sister is not THAT much of a monster, is she?


	18. Crystals

Ursa grimaced at the fire lord in his mind. He also knew his uncle would not approve of his actions as of late, if the teashop owner was here. He told himself that he was doing the correct thing by taking up with the mother of his only child.

Said child was being groomed by several servants under the supervision of Lo, Li and her mother when the fire lord entered the royal hair washing room. He caught Mai's eye taking in his form from where she sat with her head back, long, dark tresses being lavished with sweet, smelling shampoo. Izumi was seated atop a golden stool at her mother's right listening to the ancient twins' lessons on proper princess etiquette, most of which she already knew from her noble mother's coaching.

"Hi, Papa!" Greeted Izumi, warming his heart instantly.

The child had accepted her father the moment they entered the others' lives. Her father had never imagined he could make such a beautiful being. Even with her gorgeous mother, the fire lord worried that his scar would somehow pass to his offspring as it seemed to be a lasting impression. He had chosen against Katara's sincerest attempts to rid him of it for that reason.

 _Katara._ He thought, shamefully. _She will never speak to me again after what I've done._ He had to admit it bothered him. He could understand why the waterbender would leave. She had been hurt, yet again by someone she loved. Zuko understood heartbreak more than anyone. He felt like an idiot. Katara had treated him with nothing, but kindness. She had kissed his stress away and brought out the better man in him.

"Something on your mind, Fire Lord?"

At Mai's voice, he shook his head and walked to her side, kissing Izumi on the forehead. The child looked up at him with twinkling, golden eyes that reminded him of his late mother so much that he was forced to look away.

#

The city of hope was bustling with activity when Ty Lee and Katara made it by airship to earth kingdom soil. Katara had been thrilled to see the towering brick and mortar skyscrapers and cobblestoned roads from the airship's railing. Hurrying into the interior of the airship, she found her companion curled up on a dining table not far from her room. In her excitement, she bent a cup of cold tea, splashing the woman's face to waken her.

Ty Lee sputtered, flipping off the table with two fists raised and an odd look. "Azu-" she stopped, mid-sentence, blushing when she realized it was the waterbender's face she saw instead of the woman she had passionately dreamed about.

"We're here," said Katara with two of her three children, clinging to her clothing while Bumi held unto her shoulders.

Ty Lee giggled at the sight while Katara attempted to maneuver her legs to exit. Ty Lee freshened up, donning plain brown pants and a pink shirt that covered more of her form than she cared for. Placing her feet in pink sandals, the acrobat emerged from her room in time to see the city's lights illuminating the skies as they made landfall calmly in the harbor.

"Send Suki my love, Cuties!" Called Ty Lee to the small crew, who had graciously escorted them to the new city.

"Bumi!"

Ty Lee's head jerked to see Katara and Aang's eldest son sighing contently as he released a golden shower into the ocean for several moments too long.

"Ew!" Squealed four-year-old Kya.

#

 _Crystal blue ripples of water covered the slightly tanned, stubbed and tiny toes that Azula had her eyes fixated on, navigating their way through small mounds of white sand. Attached to the tiny toes were fat, short legs, completely bare with hints of the grains impressed in the skin. A red tutu drenched and clinging to a tiny bathing suit, reflected the sun's powerful rays in the clear, orange sky above the baby girl's thick, curly, black head of hair._

 _Azula waited for the sweet child to stumble into her arms from where she sat on the shoreline, just far enough to keep the threatening waves at bay. She focused her eyes on the little girl's face, just as the sun's rays were beginning to show plump cheeks and the hint of a double chin, hiding all other features of the child when the man she loved scooped her up and began to march back towards the ocean._

 _"Avatar!" Azula called to him, knowing it would gain the attention she wanted._

 _Instead, Aang reacted by venturing further into the water's depths, oblivious to her shouts. Azula felt panic rise when the water was above his shoulders, the baby's head completely covered far longer than she was comfortable with. Instinct overwhelmed her as she chased her lover and their daughter, ignoring anxiety increasing with each step into the element she despised. Forcing herself to push through the endless waves crashing into her chest, she found herself close enough to touch her child's beautiful, soft hair before losing her in a combustion of flames along with her lover._

 _Azula fell backwards, reaching for anything to gain her footing. She was drowning! Aang and the baby were gone. Where was her son? Her family, her-_

"We have arrived, Princess".

Azula blinked open her eyes surveying her surroundings. _A nightmare._ She told herself. _Just nightmares._ She had very few of them while she was with Aang, reminding her of how much she missed his arms around her to soothe her when she did experience them every now and then. Using a fist to clear her hazy eyes from the industrial smog contaminating the air, she remembered meditating with her fiancé for hours to gain peace of mind whenever she experienced a mindboggling dream.

This dream disturbed her, greatly, however. It had felt so...real. She could smell the clean, Oceanside air, feel the love in her heart for her unborn as clearly as the child pressed against her ribs. Looking down, she realized Zaheer was no longer in her arms.

"My baby!" She gasped, looking to her escort.

Zaheer slept peacefully in Yakone's arms. Azula clenched her teeth wishing the man was replaced by fiancé. He was the one, who should be enjoying these moments with their child. She snatched her baby from the strange peasant, waking the child.

"You're welcome," Yakone said with an arrogant grin. Pulling out a thick cigar, he looked to Azula. "May I?" She nodded, revealing an azure thumb to light it.

Yakone made a point of staring directly into the woman's eyes as he leaned over, cigar between his teeth. He inhaled smoothly, turning the cigar to a bright orange. Azula grimaced, moving her hand, cradling her child to her neck. Yakone blew out a thick cloud of smoke through the open window.

"I understand the effects of bringing life into the world on a woman". The waterbender commented, passively.

"Do you, now?" Azula asked, sarcastically.

Yakone hurriedly stepped from the vehicle to hold the door open for her. Azula nodded once at the royal gesture. The driver of their carriage unloaded hers and Kiyi's luggage, along with Zaheer's small bag of provisions, trailing the princess and his boss at her side.

"Your apartment is on the top floor," commented Yakone as Azula eye-balled the extravagant building.

No word of thanks left the princess's lips. Instead, she spoke sternly. "Make sure the bison is fed and cared for. I will need him to search for my...husband".

Yakone's jaw burned from his clenched teeth, though he managed a handsome smile. Glaring at the princess as she strolled away, his eyes narrowed to the cooing baby boy over her shoulder. Innocent, green eyes stared back at him with a pacifier between his lips. Yakone stared until the two disappeared upstairs with his assistant.

 _There are many ways to get your attention, Princess._

Tenzin, the five-year-old, youngest of Katara's clan giggled loudly. Katara shook her head. "At least he's potty trained," Ty Lee tried to cheer her up to no avail.

Bumi zipped his pants and ran back to the group with prideful strides. "Wow! This is Republic City, huh? Bumi's here to take over!" He proclaimed fists on his hips, his little, eight-year-old chest jutting out.

His sister rolled her eyes dramatically, pulling her mother's dress. "Mommy, will we get to see Uncle Sokka?" She asked, eyes hopeful and large with her fingers clasped together. "And Zaheer? Isn't he here with our other mom?"

Katara's eyes widened in surprise. "She's NOT your mom, Kya! Don't you EVER say that again!" She growled before catching herself.

The little girl bit her lip as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. Ty Lee nudged Katara's arm and signaled for her to take a walk for a few moments. Katara sighed, taking her sons with her. When the three were out of earshot, Ty Lee knelt in front of Kya.

Placing a hand on the child's shoulder, she gave a small smile.

"Your mom is really upset about some things, right now. I think she'll be better if you and your brothers were on your best behavior until we see your dad". Kya nodded, wiping away her tears. "There you go, that's a big girl".

"I miss Daddy," she said, plainly. "But...he always plays with Tenzin. I...I can bend too," the little girl confessed.

Ty Lee felt tears bubbling to the surface. She swallowed hard to contain. Crying in front of a seven-year-old could not possibly help matters.

"Maybe you could splash water on him when you see him," she suggested.

Kya giggled sweetly before her face turned serious. "D-do you think he forgot us? We never see him anymore," That was it. Ty Lee could not capture the tear that escaped her eyelid.

She shook her head. "I don't think your father would ever do that".

Kya nodded.

"Come on, I think your uncle's waiting for us".

The little girl's eyes brightened. Ty Lee grasped her hand to take her to where police chief Toph Bei Fong stood with Sokka on the harbor. Bumi, Tenzin and Kya nearly toppled the man over in a triple embrace.

"Where's your boomerang, Uncle Sok-Man!" Yelled Bumi.

Ty Lee watched the family reunion before greeting Toph with a strong hug.

"It's good to see you, Pinky," grunted the police chief.

Giggling, Ty Lee gave a wink at the councilman of Republic City, who blushed slightly. The women left Uncle Sok-Man to watch the kids to help Katara finish unloading the luggage. As they walked, Toph was quick to get to the point, as usual.

"So, heard that Aang has gone public with Princess Nutcase recently". Ty Lee affirmed the rumors. "Hmm, interesting, word on the beat is that Azula's messing around with crime boss Yakone and Aang's gone missing," she added. "Do you know what that's about, Pinky?"

"Um..." Ty Lee scratched her jaw, nervously.

"Come now, don't lie to old Toph. You and Azula have been friends for years. Is this all some big plot for the throne? She has a son, right?"

The acrobat was silent, glancing to where Katara was out of earshot, but venturing closer with the luggage. Turning back to Toph, she spoke, "Toph, I think you should ask her those questions when you see her".

Toph sucked her teeth. "So no answer outta you, huh?" Ty Lee shrugged. "Hmm, well, I think I can show you something that will change your mind when you get to Sokka's place.

Ty Lee raised an eyebrow. She had things to do once she dropped Katara and her children off. She could not afford to be seen hanging out with the police chief, yet she was curious about whatever Toph was talking about.

"Fine, if you say so," was her answer.

#

"Place him there," Aang heard, recognizing the voice of Long Feng, immediately.

He was pushed into a chair with metal restraint attached to the arms and headrest. No time was wasted restraining his wrists and neck. "Make sure he is _comfortable_ ".

Aang smelled the scent of sewage and heard the scurries of small creatures with his keen sense. From the echo of Long Feng's voice, he guessed that they were underground somewhere. It was not long before the disgraced, former advisor to King Kuei snatched off the man's hood, leaning down to look him in the eye. Aang remembered the man well. _Jet's murderer._ He had wondered briefly what had become of the freedom fighter, but cared less and less as he and Katara grew closer. At one time, he regretted feeling almost _happy_ about Jet's premature demise. The man surely would have attempted to take Katara from him. Though... their own marriage did not end well, anyway...

"We meet again, Boy," hissed Long Feng, calmly, waiting to meet Aang's gaze before continuing. "Time is so funny. I dreamed of my revenge against you and your princess for quite some time".

Aang huffed, eyes low and full of lethargy. "You have me," he stated. "I will do anything you ask as long as you leave Azula and Zaheer out of this".

A hearty laugh left Long Feng's lips. The man rose to his full height, hand over his chest. Pointing to the avatar, he looked to the triad members surrounding him. "Well, will you look at that. The whorish princess birthed a son for you, how could I forget. Don't worry, when we're done with her, your son will be well take care of".

Aang shook violently, helpless to bend the platinum bondage. He breathed deeply preparing to blow fire through his mouth in attempt to escape.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," said the elder man. "You see, she's already in our hands. Your cooperation keeps her alive, Avatar. Simple as that. Let's just hope she is just as cooperative for your sake and your son's".

Aang let out a strong sigh, letting Long Feng know that he had won. A smirk appeared on the earthbender's face. The avatar was proving a challenge with his strong morals and willpower. Twisting his mind would be the former advisor's most famous accomplishment to date. He was nothing if not determined to overpower the man. Age had slowed his physical abilities, but time in captivity had honed his secret craft. He was confident he could break the avatar and in turn, his lover, whom he was dying to get to.

Not a day passed that he did not think about how his power had been stripped from his feet by a spoiled, royal child.

 _"Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player"._

Time was funny. Much like the walls of Ba Sing Se, Princess Azula's hardened outer shell was intimidating and dominant. Long Feng had been quite surprised to learn of her relationship with the avatar through his benefactors. He had never imagined anyone sleeping with her and living to tell the tale. Only the great avatar would have been able to accomplish such a feat. He realized that the princess's true downfall was in her own mind.

 _Everything has a weakness._ He reminded himself. The princess's mental state was quite fragile, according to Yakone. The girl was even having trouble with her bending. Breaking her piece by piece would be sweet. He sent his men away. He wanted to be the one to do this. Revealing a single, green crystal from the underground catacombs of Ba Sing Se, he watched Aang's eye's glow intermittently in attempt to protect himself. Long Feng's smirk only widened.

"This will be painful for you, Avatar. You will not like this, but afterwards, you will be invited to a tea party".


End file.
